Maninder Chana is an award winning writer, director, producer, musician and actor. He was the driving force behind Mixed Nuts. The comedy troupe garnered accolades for its cutting edge humor, playing sold out shows and earning Maninder several nominations for his performance and stage direction.

His comedic appeals and creative abilities naturally led him to filmmaking. He has written and directed several movies, all of which have played at festivals internationally.

His pioneering work in film and television earned him a Reel World Trailblazer nomination in 2005. Also during that year, Maninder wrote and directed a six-hour epic sci-fi series for radio, Sectarian Wave. The story is in the process of being turned into a comic book by Bright Anvil Studios.

The company has produced work for Marvel Comics, Dark Horse and designed toys for Shrek 2, Spiderman 3 and Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith, among others.

In 2006, Maninder wrote, executive produced, edited and shot Bright Anvil’s first film, Bastards of Kirk. It has gone on to become a cult film among comic book and science fiction geeks.

Also in the same year, Maninder published a short story collection, Gunga Din Lite & Other Delights (of Lust and Comedy) from which several of his films are based including the award winning The Drive-by Ventriloquist.

2007 saw him direct the action short, Fuku (Happiness is Blowfish) with members of Jackie Chan’s stunt team. It has won two BEST FILM awards on the festival circuit.

2008 saw Maninder direct a pilot for up and coming comedy troupe Fade To Brown. It debuted nationally in 2009.

The coming 18 months will also earn him three feature film credits, including the supernatural horror-thriller Cell 213 directed by Stephen Kay(Boogeyman,
Get Carter) and starring Eric Balfour, Michael Rooker and Bruce Greenwood. He also produced the sci-fi thriller Mystic, out in 2011 and is in post-production on Little Terrors, a feature he wrote and directed starring Bollywood legend Om Puri.

An award-winning journalist and writer, he has also worked in prominent newsrooms across North America and published work in a variety of newspapers and magazines.