Dhillon Only Second South Asian Artist To Be Inducted Into BCEHOF After Canadian Bhangra Star Jazzy B. Received His Starwalk Star In 2015!


The 2020-21 StarWalk Star honour was bestowed on R. Paul Dhillon, award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director as well as award winning journalist (editor of South Asian LINK Newspaper and founder-publisher of online news magazine DESIBUZZCanada.com); and Walter Daroshin, the President and Founder of LEO Awards and Film and Television producer/writer. “This is an incredible honour for me, for my community and for all the desi artists and entertainers in BC, which I accept humbly,” said Dhillon, who becomes only the second South Asian/Indo-Canadian artist to be honoured with a Star after Punjabi-Canadian singer Jazzy B. became the first to be inducted in 2015.

By PD Raj

VANCOUVER – Well known filmmaker and journalist R. Paul Dhillon is one of two major 2020-2021 inductees of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame (BCEHOF).

The 2020-21 StarWalk Star honour was bestowed on Dhillon, award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director as well as award winning journalist (editor of South Asian LINK Newspaper and founder-publisher of online news magazine DESIBUZZCanada.com), and Walter Daroshin, the President and Founder of LEO Awards and Film and Television producer/writer. Both StarWalk Stars are known for their artistic accomplishments and public service contributions.

“This is an incredible honour for me, for my community and for all the desi artists and entertainers in BC, which I accept humbly,” said Dhillon, who becomes only the second South Asian/Indo-Canadian artist to be honoured with a Star after Punjabi-Canadian singer Jazzy B. became the first to be inducted in 2015. 

“This is truly gratifying and incredibly satisfying! I have no words to describe this as I never expected it.  I hope to continue pushing boundaries in my art and journalism work. I want to thank the BC Hall of Fame from the bottom of my heart for bestowing me this great honour. I’m thankful to many beautiful and amazing people who nominated me but especially my friend The Oracle! You know who you are!,” Dhillon added.

Dhillon hopes the recognition, which comes with a Star on the Walk of Fame on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, will inspire the next generation to go for their dreams and know that they are represented in all walks of life. He dedicated the induction to his late friend Don Fiorvento, a lawyer and journalist, who died much before his time last May.

“Don would have been over the moon with this honour for me as I am and I know he’s looking down with a smile on his face,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon is an award-winning journalist, screenwriter, producer and director based in Vancouver, Canada. He has also done freelance writing for mainstream publications like The Vancouver Sun and Georgia Straight newspapers, where he was a film critic.

 These two new StarWalk Stars -  Dhillon and Daroshin - and four StarMeritus Stars from the world of music, dance, theatre and film/television will join the 300+ previous inductees who have been recognized for their significant contribution to the province’s entertainment industry and cultural landscape.


The BCEHOF is divided into two prestigious categories: StarWalk Stars and StarMeritus Stars. StarWalk Stars recognizing high profile artists in the entertainment industry and StarMeritus Stars reserved for pioneers of the industry receiving special merit for their outstanding contribution to the performing arts in British Columbia. All inductees have enhanced the province’s cultural profile both locally and on the world stage.

StarWalk members are featured on the Granville Street sidewalk in downtown Vancouver and on the StarWall photo gallery in the Orpheum lobby. StarMeritus members, previously known as “Pioneers”, are acknowledged with brass plaques on display in the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame gallery at the Orpheum Theatre.

The 2020-21 StarMeritus Stars: International and National award recipient – Musician (guitarist), Don Alder; Actor, Singer, and arts advocate; Candus Churchill; Pioneer of the BC Music Industry and Juno Award winner, Lynne Partridge and Manager, producer and entertainment publicist, Valerie (“Valley”) Hennell.

“The BCEHOF is proud and excited to present a very diverse and impressive group of StarMeritus and StarWalk inductees who represent artistic excellence in British Columbia,” stated BCEHOF President Rob Haynes. “While we are limited this year due to COVID-19, we look forward to scheduling and celebrating their individual inductions over the coming months to honour their contribution.”

ABOUT R. PAUL DHILLON

Paul Dhillon is an award-winning journalist, screenwriter, producer and director based in Vancouver. He has also done freelance writing for mainstream publications like The Vancouver Sun and Georgia Straight newspapers, where he was a film critic. Dhillon’s early work includes TEARS AND SIGHS on the abuses of alcohol in the South Asian community as well as a WATNO DUR, a Variety television show. Other credits include THE SAINT SOLDIER (1999/2000) – a one-hour documentary on B.C.’s Sikh community. SLICES OF MY LIFE (1992/93), a slice of the immigrant experience and SOUTH VAN STUD (1992), a play for Expressions ’92 Youth Festival. He has written, produced and directed over 40 productions, including nearly dozen documentaries for televisions as well as two feature films, including his debut SWEET AMERIKA, a story set around the time of 9/11 about a Sikh grocery store owner in New York. Dhillon’s popular music documentary THE BHANGRA GENERATION and Sweet Amerika were acquired by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Dhillon also produced 13-part music Documentary Series BHANGRALICIOUS, which he wrote and directed for national broadcast on Rogers OMNI channel. He has also written numerous screenplays, including the thriller OF HEAVEN AND HELL and gangland crime drama B TOWN BOYZ. He also wrote, produced and directed his latest feature THE FUSION GENERATION, which was released theatrically on August 30th, 2019.