ActressDancerCanadianIndian

Ellora Patnaik

Ellora Patnaik is a Canadian actress and Odissi dancer with an extensive career in film, television, and theatre, also serving as a dance educator and director.

1. Early Life

Ellora Patnaik's formative years in Canada were marked by a bicultural upbringing, shaped by her parents' Indian heritage and her exposure to traditional arts from a young age.

1.1. Childhood and Background

Ellora Patnaik was born on September 5, 1968, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is the first child of Promod and Chitralekha Patnaik, who immigrated to Canada from the state of Orissa (now Odisha), India, in the 1960s. She has one brother, Devraj Patnaik, who is seven years her junior. During her youth, Patnaik made numerous trips to India with her family, which helped foster her connection to her cultural roots.
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1.2. Education and Initial Training

Patnaik's family initially settled in Oakville, Ontario, before moving to Burlington, Ontario, where she attended M. M. Robinson High School. In 1986, at the age of 17, she was selected for advanced training by the renowned guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, a Padma Vibhushan recipient. This marked a significant step in her dance education, as she subsequently went to study at the Odissi Research Centre in Orissa, India, further deepening her mastery of the classical dance form.

2. Dance Career

Ellora Patnaik has dedicated a significant portion of her life to the art of Odissi dance, progressing from a diligent student under eminent gurus to a respected teacher and a leading figure in promoting the dance form.

2.1. Training and Gurus

Patnaik's foundational and primary training in Odissi dance began at a very young age under the tutelage of her own mother, who served as her first guru. Beyond her mother's initial instruction, she received advanced and rigorous training from some of the most esteemed figures in Odissi dance. Her notable gurus include the late Pankaj Charan Das, a recipient of the Padma Shri; the late Kelucharan Mohapatra, a Padma Vibhushan awardee who further refined her skills; Sanjukta Panigrahi, also a Padma Shri recipient; and Gangadhar Pradhan, another distinguished Padma Shri awardee. This comprehensive training under various masters contributed to her profound understanding and mastery of the Odissi style.

2.2. Teaching and Directorship

Patnaik began her career as an Odissi dance teacher in the mid-1980s, sharing her expertise and passion for the art form with new generations of dancers. In the early 1990s, she took on a significant leadership role, becoming the executive director of the Chitralekha Dance Academy. In this position, she has been instrumental in guiding the academy's mission to preserve, promote, and propagate Odissi dance.

3. Acting Career

Ellora Patnaik has established a diverse acting career across various platforms, including extensive work in film, television, and theatre, complemented by her formal dramatic arts education.

3.1. Acting Training and Early Roles

Patnaik pursued formal acting education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from 1992 to 1994. During her third year at the academy, she was invited to become a member of the school's company, a testament to her emerging talent and dedication. Her early notable television roles included playing Jyoti Mehta, the mother of the protagonist Indie Mehta, in the Canadian television series How to Be Indie. She appeared in the series on YTV starting in 2009 and filmed another season in 2010, marking one of her significant early television appearances.

3.2. Filmography

Ellora Patnaik has appeared in a variety of feature films throughout her acting career.

YearFilmRoleNotes
1998My Own CountryRajani Verghese
2000TapishLajwati 'Laji'
2003Open HouseYoung Woman
2005Riding the Bus with My SisterGirl on Bus
2008Toronto StoriesCaroline
2008Statues Come to LifeStatue
2016Killing MommyDetective Morse
2018Pride, Prejudice, and MistletoeBeverly
2020Kitty MammasHelen
2020Too Close for ChristmasKim
2021One Small VisitElizabeth George

3.3. Television Roles

Patnaik has had numerous roles in television series and miniseries, demonstrating her versatility in the medium.

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000The 7th PortalImitatia / Anna Nehue
2003Wild CardInsurance Adjustor
2004Sue Thomas: F.B.EyeNurse
2006Billable HoursOffice Worker
2005-2006True Crimes: The First 72 HoursElaine Rupesh / Tara Mulla
2007The GatheringNurse
2008MVPHostess
2009Being EricaErica
2009The LineNikki
2010Cra$h & BurnCourt Driver
2009-2011How to Be IndieMum (Jyoti) Mehta / Jyoti / Mum Mehta
2011Degrassi: The Next GenerationNurse
2012Beauty and the BeastNurse
2016Orphan BlackUltra Sound Technician
2016American GothicDr. Donna Stanhope
2016RideMadhu
2016ConvictionDr. Lorraine Martin
2017The ExpanseAshanti
2017Murdoch MysteriesPadma Bannerjee
2018ImpostersDr. Grady
2018CondorTech Female
2018Guilt Free ZoneVeena
2018Pride, Prejudice and MistletoeBeverly
2018CoronerRichie Singh
2019Talent DriversSex Shop Attendant
2019The Bold TypePriya
2019TitansTicket Agent
2019Hudson & RexDeena Roy
2020Spinning OutDr. Latner
2020Schitt's CreekFuneral Director
2017-2020Kim's ConvenienceAnjali Mehta
2020NursesAalia Khan
2020The Wedding PlannersDeb
2021Ginny & GeorgiaBhanu
2021Sort OfRaffo
2023Star Trek: Strange New WorldsT'Pril

3.4. Theatre Work

Ellora Patnaik has also contributed significantly to theatre, performing in various productions in both New York City and Toronto.

YearTitleRoleTheatreLocation
1995Standing on My KneesCatherineNew York City, New York
1997Naga MandalaRaniTarragon TheatreToronto, Ontario
2001Umrao Jaan AdaUmraoRasik Arts
2004LeftBobbyRasik Arts
Say Goodnight GracieCatherineNew York City, New York
The Heidi ChroniclesBecky/BetsyNew York City, New York
The Country WifeLucyNew York City, New York
The SeagullHousemaidNew York City, New York
The House of Blue LeavesLittle NunNew York City, New York

4. Accolades

Throughout her career, Ellora Patnaik has received recognition for her work, notably in the field of television.

In 2022, the television series Sort Of, in which Patnaik had a role, was nominated for a Peabody Award in the Entertainment category. This nomination acknowledges the significant cultural impact and artistic excellence of the production she was a part of.