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Mita Vashisht

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Mita Vasisht
Vashisht at the screening of Criminal Justice in 2019
Born (1967-11-02) 2 November 1967 (age 57)
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Other namesMeeta Vasisht
OccupationActress
Years active1987–present
AwardsScreen Awards, BFWA

Mita Vashisht (born 2 November 1967)[1] 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, Devyani in Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi,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.[2]

Early life

Mita Vashisht was born on 2 November 1967[1] in Pune, Maharashtra, India to Captain Rajeshwar Dutt Vashisht, who retired as a colonel from the Indian Army and Meenakshi Mehta (née) Vashisht, a teacher and a singer (Indian Classical).

She graduated from the National School of Drama (Delhi) in 1987 and did her post-graduation in literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh.[3] Vashisht was for several years (1990–2010) also visiting faculty to some of the design, film and theatre institutes of India – the NIFT (Delhi), FTII (Pune), NSD (Delhi) and the NID (Ahmedabad). She has also conducted theatre workshops in the UK (London, Birmingham, Leicester) and in Damascus. She teaches students of fashion design, film direction and acting, using theatre techniques.[4] She is married to filmmaker Anup Singh.

Career

Vashisht has played the lead roles in the avant-garde cinemas (notably Kumar Shahani and Mani Kaul films), the middle of the road cinemas (Notably Govind Nihalani's films) as well as in successful big budget Bollywood films. She has worked in theatre as actress and director too. She researches and writes her scripts as well. Since 2004, she has performed her solo play in English and Hindi, titled, Lal Ded, based on life of medieval Kashmiri mystic Lal Ded, all over India.[5][6]

Vashisht has written and produced three short films, as well as a serial for television. She was the executive producer of the film The Name of a River, a BFI (London) - NFDC (India) - Bangladesh film co-production.

In June 2001, Vashisht established Mandala, which is a space for arts collaborations research and education. Its aim was to spearhead a new movement in the arts, to centre stage and individuate the performing arts in society and to aid artistic collaborations. Her first project under Mandala however took an unusual twist. A chance theatre workshop that she conducted with trafficked minors in a remand home in Mumbai led to four years of her full-time involvement with the cause of self- empowerment and rehabilitation of trafficked minors. (trafficked minors i.e. minor girls rescued from prostitution from the city brothels).[citation needed]

As artistic director of Mandala she created Mandala TAM (theatre arts module), which is a methodology and a training process based on the performing arts that proved to be highly successful in helping the trafficked minors to heal and transform mentally, physically, emotionally and intellectually.[citation needed]

In 2023, she was appointed by the state of Haryana as the Chairperson of the Governing Council of Haryana Film and Entertainment.[7][8]

Theatre

She has performed in the 75 minute solo theatre performance Lal Ded, based on the life and poetry of the iconic woman mystic and poet of Kashmir Lal Ded.[9] Lal Ded performances have been invited to and featured in the following National/International theatre festivals in India and abroad.

  • 2004: World Human Rights Day for the NGO 'Akshara', Mumbai.
  • 2005: The Hungry Heart Int. Theatre Festival, India Habitat Centre, Delhi.
  • 2006: The Hungry Heart International theatre festival, Delhi.
  • 2006: World theatre day, Pune. (Alliance Francaise)
  • 2007: National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai
  • 2008: Baharangam (the Int. theatre festival, NSD Delhi) commemorating NSD's golden jubilee year.
  • 2008: International Sufi Festival of Performing Arts, Srinagar, Kashmir.
  • 2008: National Theatre Festival, Dehradun
  • 2008: World Performing Arts Festival, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • 2009: North Zone Cultural Centre Festival, Chandigarh.[citation needed]

Film and television

Vashisht has produced and directed television programs and documentaries. In 2012 she directed the documentary film She, of the Four Names, commissioned by Public Services Broadcasting Trust, India. (PSBT) based on Lal Ded.

In recent years Vashisht played a key role in Ekta Kapoor's Kahani Ghar Ghar ki. She played the role of the principal on the show Suvreen Guggal on Channel V India and Akbar's evil stepmother in the serial, Jodha Akbar on Zee TV.[10] She was appreciated by the audience for her negative portrayal of Jethi Maa from TV Series Kaala Teeka.

Selected filmography

Key

† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes
1987 Var Var Vari Nayika FTII (Diploma for Nandini Bedi, Editing)
1989 Chandni Chandni's friend
Siddheshwari Siddheshwari
Jazeere Asta
1990 Khayal Gatha Rani Roopmati
Drishti Prabha
Kasba Tejo
1991 Idiot Nastassya
1994 Tarpan Lachmi
English August Nri
Drohkaal Sumitra Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress
1998 Dil Se.. Terrorist
Zindagi Zindabad Botanist
Ghulam Fatima
1999 Taal Prabha
2000 Snegithiye SP Prema Narayanan Tamil film
2001 Maya Maya's Aunt
Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi Main villain
2002 Pitaah Thakuraien
Bokshu – The Myth
2003 Patalghar Begum Bengali film
2004 Oops! Sharon/Sakshi
Phir Milenge Advocate Kalyani
2006 Shevri Maya Marathi film
2007 Raakilipattu SP Prema Narayanan Malayalam film
2009 Anubhav Dr. Kamla
Aladin Karate Instructor
Antaheen Mrs. Mehra Bengali film
2011 Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge Ma'am
Trishna Trishna's mother
2013 Gangoobai Daksha
2014 Youngistaan Suhasini Singh Deo
Rahasya Brinda Chhabria
2021 Kaagaz Ashrafi Devi Released on Zee5
Chhorii Bhanno Devi Released on Amazon Prime Video
2022 Good Luck Jerry Sharbati, Jerry's mother Released on Disney+ Hotstar[11]
2023 Chhorii 2 Bhanno Devi

Music videos and Singing

  • 2000: Featured in the main lead in Mann ke Manjeeré.
  • 2007: Sung the vocals with Shubha Mudgal for the theme song Laaga Chunari Mein Daag for Yash Raj Films.

Television

Year Serial Role Notes
1989 Space City Sigma
Bharat Ek Khoj Suhasini [episode 11,12]
Mr Yogi
1993 Pachpan Khambe Lal Deewarein
1994 Swabhimaan Devika
Kirdaar Various Roles
1997 Ghum Rain Movies
1998 Saalgiraah Rain Movies
1999 Vijay Jyoti ZEE TV NETWORK
Hip Hip Hurray
1999–2000 Star Bestsellers
2001 Kaaun Balaji Television
Khauff
2005 Bombay Lawyers
2005–08 Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki Trishna Agarwal Balaji Television
2012–13 Suvreen Guggal – Topper of The Year
2015 Sense8 NETFLIX
Kaala Teeka DJs a Creative Venture
Jodhaa Akbar Mah Chuchak Begum Zee TV Network
2017 Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai Sphere Origins Production House
2019 Criminal Justice Hotstar
2020 Your Honor Sony LIV
2020 Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors Disney+ Hotstar
2023 Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke Mahira Rizvi ZEE5
2023 Kaala Chief Minister Jyoti Sen Disney+Hotstar

Film Jury member

  • 2005: OSIAN'S CINEFAN International Film Festival, Delhi. Jury member for Indian Feature Films.
  • 2008: Tenth MAMI International Film Festival, Mumbai. Jury Member for Dimensions India (Documentary films).
  • 2008: Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) Jury member for Short films.

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b Kolwankar, Gayatri (26 April 2016). "TV actors and their birthday bash pictures". The Times of India. p. 15. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Mita Vashisht: My new show Kaala Teeka launches on my birthday 2nd November - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. ^ Ferral, Glacxy (25 November 2008). "Mita reveals it all". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  4. ^ "For the love of the stage". The Hindu. 11 November 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  5. ^ C.S. Lakshmi (1 May 2005). "Songs of a mystic". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012.
  6. ^ Gahlot, Deepa (5 December 2019). "Mita Vashisht on her solo performance with 'Lal Ded'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Haryana appoints Mita Vashisht as Chairperson of Governing Council of Haryana Film and Entertainment policy". The Indian Express. 12 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Haryana: Mita Vashisht is the new chairperson of film policy governing council". Hindustan Times. 13 September 2023.
  9. ^ Meenakshi Shedde (14 November 2001). "How theatre can empower the meek". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Mita Vashisht to play Akbar's evil stepmom in Jodha Akbar". The Times of India. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  11. ^ "First look of Good Luck Jerry starring Janhvi Kapoor unveiled, film goes on floors today in Punjab". Bollywood Hungama. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
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