Yasmin Virani was born in Vancouver, Canada, but began her acting career in Yorkshire, England, where she garnered both a Bronze and Gold medal from the London Academy of Dramatic Art. An accomplished theater actress at a young age, at 19, she directed and starred in Noel Coward’s, Private Lives in Vancouver and at 20, David Mammet’s, Sexual Perversity in Chicago in Montreal. The following year, Yasmin went on to sell out Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto, where she once again honed her craft as both actor and director in a satire of Samuel Beckett’s existential comedy, Faiting Wor Godot.
In 2002, she was cast as Gupta, in the CBC Indo-Canadian drama, Jinnah on Crime and worked with Nicholas Campbell in the successful television series, Da Vinci’s Inquest. In 2008, Yasmin made her literary debut with a collection of romantic poetry, Narcissism or Brilliance? and established Haute Couture Theatre Company – dedicated to providing avant-garde theater within Canada and the United States.
In 2009, Yasmin merged all three of her talents when she wrote, directed and produced her first one woman show, Anand (bliss, peace, happiness). The play opened in Vancouver and was brought back during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, followed by a three city tour; Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. In 2012, Yasmin debuted her second one woman show - Umrao Yasmin; A New Beginning and in 2016, her third play, Love Is Just Love.
Yasmin's second company, TPARK ENTERTAINMENT, aims to bridge the diversity gap. “My vision for TPARK; to reflect all of us and partner with like minded individuals/companies who share the same global vision.”
Other productions include: Rewriting The Script, a film that explores the lives and sexualities of Queer South Asians living in Canada and Faith Without Fear, where she teamed up with social activist, Irshad Manji, to present Manji’s – Emmy Award Nominated – documentary.