Media Personality &
PR Professional
He’s bold. He’s brave. And he tells it like it is. With his opinionated, unfiltered wit and trademark blazers, Daniel Pillai has taken charge of the media landscape in his own unique way. As a celebrated host, writer, and producer – Daniel has gained a loyal following for his entertaining interview style with the biggest names in Hollywood and Bollywood.
As an openly gay man, Daniel’s interest in showbiz began at a young age. Most of his days were consumed with watching classic Bollywood films with his aunts and choreographing Bollywood dance numbers at family parties. This was his escape from some of the harsh realities and challenges he faced during his childhood.
LGBTQ Advocacy & Self-Empowerment
With a relentless passion for telling stories that matter, Daniel isn’t one to shy away from a tough story or a personal challenge. In the spring of 2016, he launched Date With Daniel and F’D With Daniel; two online shows dedicated to providing a platform for notable guests through curating stories that are enlightening and get to the core of the human struggle and spirit.
Outside of work, Daniel devotes his free time to support various humanitarian causes. Especially those where he can offer support, guidance and encouragement to members of the LGBTQ community struggling with their identities and sexualities. Daniel has spoken at the University of Michigan, the Canadian Centre of Gender & Sexuality, the Peel HIV/AIDS Network and continually partners with various organizations nationwide and internationally to help create spaces of inclusivity and positive conversations about what makes us unique.
Daniel is also passionate about anti-bullying initiatives and campaigns. In the summer of 2016, Daniel released The He/She Project, which highlights his experiences with bullying, and chronicles his empowering journey of self-acceptance through androgynous representations of masculinity and femininity.
Born in Toronto, Daniel graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree. He also holds a Masters of Arts in Communication and Culture from the joint program at York and Ryerson Universities and a Graduate Diploma in Asian and transnational studies from York University.
Foray into Media & Television
Daniel’s foray into television came as a happy accident when discovered by award-winning journalist Veronica Chail in 2012 to join Canada’s leading Bollywood show, Citytv and OMNI Television’s Bollywood Blvd. What was intended as one segment became 3 full seasons. This put Daniel on the global media map, making his candid commentary about the world’s largest film industry a staple in homes nationwide.
Since then, Daniel has interviewed some of the biggest names in pop culture across multiple media outlets and platforms. From Hollywood heavyweights Hillary Swank, Kevin Spacey and John Travolta to Bollywood biggies Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone. United Nations Ambassador and Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly describes Daniel as “one of the most vibrant and amazing personalities I have ever had the pleasure of being interviewed by” while actress Aditi Rao Hydari says “he’s an amazing journalist who can really get some information out of you!”
