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Harinder and Mohinder Saini Originally hailing from Delhi, Mohinder Saini migrated to London, England in 1979. Just like any immigrant, he had his fair share of struggles while settling down in a new, unfamiliar environment. Although an Electrical Engineer by trade, Mohinder’s passion for art and music always shone through. In 1984, he started working in Radio Broadcasting, hosting a program on a local Radio station: Sunrise Radio. A new creative journey began, one that would alter the course of his life. At the beginning of 1986, Mohinder moved to Vancouver, Canada on a job transfer from England – and later that same year, he met his partner in life and business, Harinder Saini. Harinder had moved to Canada with her family in early 1980 and was pursuing higher education in Vancouver. Although she studied and eventually worked in accounting, Harinder was always an artist. She began her own journey as a performer as early as 5 years old, singing and acting whenever she had the opportunity. By the time she met him, Mohinder had started his first Television show, produced by IT Productions, and run by Ms. Sushma Sardana. This first-of-it’s-kind musical request program was very well received by regional audiences. While living in Vancouver, Mohinder had many artistic ventures. He bridged the gap between London and North America by introducing many U.K. Punjabi bands such as Alaap, Heera Group, Pardesi Music Machine, and more to the US and Canada, organizing concerts throughout the continent. Mohinder was also an early pioneer in the Vancouver South Asian Wedding Industry, setting up some of the earliest wedding stores in Vancouver – and later helping his family run their store locations, all while working full time as an engineer. in 1992, Mohinder and Harinder finally tied the knot, and moved to Kelowna, about 400 km away from Vancouver. Within two months of this major shift, Mohinder was once again on the air. This time working with a channel called Great Valley’s Radio, Mohinder and Harinder began hosting a Punjabi program for the community throughout the Okanagan Valley. Later the same year, both Mohinder and Harinder also worked with Shaw Cable to host weekly television programs, which travelled across 11 different cities in the BC Interior. For the sporadically spread out Punjabi community in these small towns, these Radio and Television programs were the first Punjabi language entertainment they had regular access to, making Harinder and Mohinder a part of a crucial cultural lifeline. While Mohinder and Harinder hosted these shows, these important programs were made possible with support from volunteers and local businesses. A few years later, while expecting their first child, the couple moved back to Vancouver. They had only been back in the city for a couple years when in 1998, Mohinder and Harinder moved their young family to India, thanks to a professional opportunity. Over the next 13 years, the Saini family’s love for India only grew bigger. As the couple successfully established their business, their children went to school and built unbreakable bonds to their homeland. In 2011, due to variety of reasons, the family moved back to Canada. Although now settled in Vancouver, the Saini family has never lost the love they have for India. So much so, that despite plans to wrap up the India chapter of their lives, when the opportunity to build something lasting and meaningful appeared, they simply couldn’t turn it down. All the years of working in entertainment, one way or another, culminated in their boldest challenge yet: Moonlight Film City. Besides the love for all things creative, one of the major factors in the decision to build Moonlight Film City was the passion of their own child. The couple’s middle daughter, Rahat Saini is a professional actor. Having studied Theatre from the University of Victoria, Rahat has been able to follow her creative path due to the love and support of her parents. Her blossoming career in Vancouver’s Film and TV Industry has served as inspiration for Mohinder and Harinder, who have long been devoted to the arts. Having harnessed the power of storytelling all their lives, and now witnessing the craftsmanship and dedication of film workers, Moonlight Film City is Mohinder and Harinder’s love letter to the vibrant Film and TV community in Punjab. They hope through this facility in the heart of Mohali, many more artists can find a place to turn their wildest dreams into reality.