National School of Drama (NSD) is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India. It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and became an independent school in 1975. In 2005, it was granted deemed university status, but in 2011 it was revoked. Paresh Rawal is the current Chairperson & Chittaranjan Tripathy currently serves as Director of National School of Drama (NSD).
Mita Vashisht is an Indian actress. Known for her work on screen, stage and television, she has played a wide range of roles. Her most prominent appearances includes; sci-fi television series Space City Sigma (1989-1991), Pachpan Khambe Laal Deewarein, Swabhimaan, Alaan (Kirdaar) to Trishna in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Jethi Maa in Kaala Teeka to film roles with a wide spectrum of directors with different cinema styles.
Bhāsa is one of the earliest and most celebrated Indian playwrights in Sanskrit, predating Kālidasa. His name was already well-known by the 1st century BCE and he belongs to the late-Mauryan period at the earliest, but the thirteen plays attached to his name are commonly dated closer to the first or second century CE.
Rohini Hattangadi is an Indian actress, known for her work in Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Gujarati films, and Marathi soap operas and theatre. She has won two Filmfare Awards, one National Film Award, and is the only Indian actress to win the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Kasturba Gandhi in Gandhi (1982).
Ebrahim Alkazi was an Indian theatre director and drama teacher. A rigid disciplinarian, he instilled in his acting students an awe and reverence that they still carry with them, with several of them having had the privilege of continuing the practice and training in the NSD Repertory Company, an introduction made to the National School of Drama by Alkazi. His standards later became very influential. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi (1962–1977) He was also a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and founded the Art Heritage Gallery in Delhi with his wife, Roshen Alkazi.
Ratan Thiyam is an Indian playwright and theatre director, and the winner of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987, one of leading figures of the "theatre of roots" movement in Indian theatre, which started in the 1970s. Also known as Thiyam Nemai, Ratan Thiyam is known for writing and staging plays that use ancient Indian theatre traditions and forms in a contemporary context. A former painter, and proficient in direction, design, script and music, Thiyam is often considered one of leading contemporary theatre gurus.
Vishnudas Bhave and was the leading dramatist of Maharashtra, India and considered as pioneer of Marathi theatre. He was born in Sangli and he staged the first Marathi-language play Sita Swayamvar in Sangli in 1843. In this venture, Bhave was supported by the then king of the princely state of Sangli. After the success of the play Sita Swayamvar, Bhave staged plays on various other episodes of the Ramayana. He traveled with his troupes for the plays. He also ventured into puppet shows. Bhave died on 9 August 1901.
Satish Vasant Alekar is a Marathi playwright, actor, and theatre director. A founder member of the Theatre Academy of Pune, and most known for his plays Mahanirvan (1974), Mahapoor (1975), Atirekee (1990), Pidhijat (2003), Mickey ani Memsahib (1973), and Begum Barve (1979), all of which he also directed for the Academy. Along with Mahesh Elkunchwar and Vijay Tendulkar he is considered among the most influential and progressive playwrights in modern Marathi and Indian theatre.
Barry John is an English-born Indian theatre director, actor, and acting coach.
Upendra Limaye is an Indian actor, who won the National Film Award for his role in the Marathi film Jogwa. On the centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, Forbes included Limaye's performance in the film Jogwa on its list, "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema."
Akhila Bhāratīya Marāṭhī Nāṭya Pariṣhad is a Marathi theatre body who arrange Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan annually. It was founded in year 1905 by Anant Waman Barve with the help of Babajirao Rane of "Rajapurkar Natak Mandali" and Mujumdar, manager of Kirloskar Natak Mandali. At that time in the erstwhile Bombay state there were many drama companies performing Marathi dramas. Barve was a playwright and wrote a number of dramas performed by different drama companies. He floated the idea of having a central body for Marathi theatre to bring together these drama companies on a common platform to solve problems faced by them. Finally many drama companies agreed to an annual gathering and Barve was chosen as its Hon. Secretary. The first Sammelan was presided by Babasaheb Khaparde a well known Leader of social and political movement in Maharashtra. The present name of the Parishad and the constitution was finalised in the year 1960 in the Delhi Meet of the Parishad. So far every year Meet is arranged at different locations in India where Marathi drama is popular.
Sulabha Deshpande was an Indian actress and theatre director. Apart from Marathi theatre and Hindi theatre in Mumbai, she acted in over 73 mainstream Bollywood films. She also performed in art house cinema such as Bhumika (1977), Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978), and Gaman (1978) as a character actor, along with numerous TV series and plays. A leading figure in the experimental theatre movement of the 1960s, she was associated with Rangayan, and personalities like Vijay Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta, and Satyadev Dubey. In 1971, she co-founded the theatre group Awishkar with her husband Arvind Deshpande, and also started its children's wing, Chandrashala, which continues to perform professional children's theatre. In later years, she acted in serials such as Jee Ley Zara, Ek Packet Umeed, Asmita and in films such as English Vinglish.
Ashok Damodar Ranade was a scholar musician and ethnomusicologist. Ranade was a vocalist trained in traditional Hindustani Art music. He was a composer constantly experimenting with new uncharted vistas. A pioneer of Cultural Musicology in India, Dr Ranade was a missionary who contributed in enriching India's cultural life in the 21st century.
Suhasini Joshi, popularly known by her screen name Suhas Joshi, is a Marathi theater, film and television actress. She is also seen in many Bollywood films. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2018 for Acting. She is better known for her role in Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai 2 and Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai 3 as Swapnil Joshi's grandmother. She is currently portraying the role of Shilpa Tulaskar's mother-in-law in Zee Marathi's Tu Tevha Tashi.
Chandrakant Kulkarni is an Indian director, script writer and actor associated with Marathi theatre and film. He is known for his works of directing the plays Wada Chirebandi, Dhyanimani, Gandhi Virudh Gandhi and most recently the remake of Hamidabaichi Kothi. He has also directed the acclaimed films Bindhaast (1999) and Tukaram (2012).
Krishnarao Ganpatrao Sable, popularly known as Shahir Sable, was a Marathi language folk artist from Maharashtra, India. He was an accomplished singer, playwright, performer and folk theatre (Loknatya) producer & director. He was awarded with Padma Shri – India's fourth highest civilian honour, in 1998 for his contribution in the field of arts.
Vidyadhar Oke is an Indian doctor, musicologist, harmonium player, and astrology consultant, who has done research in the use of shrutis (microtones) in Indian classical music and created a unique 22-shruti version of the harmonium.
Daji Bhatawadekar, was an Indian theatre personality and film and television actor. He was credited with the revival of Sanskrit and Marathi theatre in India. A winner of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1965, he was honoured by the Government of India in 1967, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society.
Sanjay Shejwal is an Indian actor best known for his work in Marathi cinema, Bollywood and Telugu cinema. Sanjay made his film debut with the film Saubhagya in 2012. Sanjay won the Ma.Ta.Sanman and Maharashtra Government best actor award in 2012 for the world record play Priya Bawari. He was also a runner-up in Nach Dhamaal celebrity dance reality show on Mi Marathi.
Abhay Mahajan is an Indian actor known for his work in TVF drama series - Pitchers.
