Faculty Members

ACTING & DIRECTION

ABHILASH PILLAI
Professor, Acting & Direction

Currently the Dean Academics, Centre In-Charge and In-Charge of Cultural Exchange Programme of National School of Drama, Dr. Abhilash Pillai is a play director, pedagogue, and scholar of contemporary Indian Theatre, who has directed more than 30 productions in various Indian languages and English. He is often credited as one of the initiators of digital theatre in Modern Indian Drama with ‘Anth Ananth’, a 1995 production of NSD Repertory Company. His theatre reinforces the past and also the present through 20th and 21st century Indian Pop visuals, video, recorded sound and other technological interventions. His works draw on a wide array of materials but are presented in a contemporary aesthetic style and envision a dialogue between practice and scholarship that seeks to augment the perspective with critical knowledge about various issues concerned. As a theatre maker, he has been involved in several collaborative projects, international and national, and initiated first-ever collaboration between NSD and a Circus Company, culminating in a production ‘Clowns & Clouds’.

He did his graduation in BTA (Bachelor of Theatre Arts), Calicut University in 1991; did a three-year post-graduate diploma in dramatics from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi in Design & Direction, with distinction in 1994; passed a two-year diploma in Theatre Production and Stage Management with honours from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London in 1998. Later, he did a one year intensive training in advanced theatre direction in association with eminent directors in the Orange Tree Theatre, U.K. from 1998-1999, and achieved Ph. D. from Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2012. He started his artistic life as an artistic director of Abhinaya Theatre and Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in 1999.

Dr. Pillai has authored a book on C.N. Sreekantan Nair – Vision and Mission of a Theatre Activist –published by the Central Sahitya Akademi. He has contributed articles on theatre in leading publications, attended seminars and conducted several workshops in India and abroad.

Dr. Pillai served as Dean Academics of NSD during 2008-2011. He has been Artistic Director and Chief Curator of National Theatre Festival organised by Information & Public Relations Department of the Government of Kerala and ITFoK (International Theatre Festival of Kerala) organised by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi for couple of years. Besides, he was the Chief Technical Coordinator and Steering Committee Member of Bharat Rang Mahotsav from 2008- 2011. He is also the Advisory Committee member of  21st BRM.

Among many awards, he has received the prestigious Sanskriti Award for achievements in theatre in 2002-03, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Award for theatre direction in 2012 and National School of Drama’s Manohar Singh Smriti Puraskar in 2009. He can be visited at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhilash_Pillai, https://en.everybodywiki.com/Abhilash_Pillai, http://youtube.com/watch?v=SkHYo3JK2sY and http://youtube.com/channel/UCx9BmiiM7ijPhHiH4Xio84Q.

SANTANU BOSE
Associate Professor, World Drama

Santanu Bose has created over 75 pieces of theatre over the past 33 years in various parts of the country and the world. These have been shown extensively in India and in different parts of Asia, Europe and Australia.

AMITESH GROVER
Associate Professor, Extension Programme

Amitesh Grover is an award-winning theatre director and artist. His body of work includes more than 20 stage productions, which range from global performances connecting performers and spectators across continents to the most intimate pieces. His creations have been commissioned, co-produced, and presented internationally by renowned festivals and theatres. In 2008, Sangeet Natak Akademi awarded him Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for his contribution to the field of theatre direction. Grover is also the recipient of MASH FICA New Media Award, South Asian Artist Residency Award (Switzerland), Charles Wallace Award (U.K.) and was nominated for Arte Laguna Prize (Italy), Prix Ars Electronica Award (Austria) and Forecast Award (Germany). His work has been described as “bold, new theatre” by The Hindustan Times.

Grover’s work has been shown at the Foundation of Indian Contemporary Art, TATA Literature Festival Mumbai, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Prithvi Theatre Festival, Serendipity Arts Festival and at theatre venues in Canada, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Japan, England and the USA. He has been selected for artist residencies at PACT Zollverein (Germany), Tokyo Culture Creation Project (Japan), and Berliner Theatertreffen. He has been commissioned by the Chennai Photo Biennale and by Australia’s Sydney-based 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. He was the Festival Director for International Theatre Festival of Kerala for 2020 and 2021 and the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival, Bangalore in 2021. He has given artist talks at Lasalle College of the Arts (Singapore), Asian Performing Arts Market (Australia) and Hong Kong University.

He is currently Associate Professor at National School of Drama, New Delhi, India. He takes theoretical and practical classes in Theatre Direction and also heads the Extension Department, NSD’s outreach program for the dissemination of theatre training across the country.

ARUNA KUMAR MALIK
Assistant Professor (Stage Craft)

Born & brought up in Orissa, Aruna Kumar Malik completed his B.F.A. in Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Utkal University and Graduate Diploma in Acting from National School of Drama in 2007. Since then he has been working as an actor, director, set & propos designer. He has worked in more than 250 plays as designer & actor. He has acted in few films and TV serials also. He has been awarded Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship to study advance prosthetic make up in UK.  Recently, he has been awarded with Bismillah Khan Youth Award by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2014-15. He has conducted several theatre workshops in many different parts of the country. He joined NSD as Assistant Professor in May 2017.

DIPANKAR PAUL
Assistant Professor, Lighting Design

A post graduate from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata with the specialization in Dramatic Arts (Faculty of Fine Arts) and a post graduate from National School Of Drama, New Delhi with specialization in Design, Direction and Theatre Technique, Dipankar Paul has been engaged with Theatre Arts practice for more than 24 years as an Actor, Set Designer, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer and Director. His directorial plays have been performed nationally and internationally. In addition, he has been associated with children’s theatre activities as a facilitator. He has also been part of a few important feature films and TV serials as well. He has a keen interest in painting and sculpting.

MD. ABDUL KADIR SHAH
Assistant Professor, Movement and Dean, Academics

An NSD alumnus (2004), Abdul Kadir Shah is extensively trained in Manipuri Martial Art – Thang Ta, Tai Chi, Sitorio Karate, Modern Movement and Dance. He had been working with NSD Repertory Company as an artist from 2004-2011. He has performed in major roles in plays like ‘Ghasiram Kotwal’, ‘1857 Ek Safar Nama’, ‘Ram Nam Satya Hain’, ‘Acharya Tartuf’ among others. He has also taken classes for Physical Fitness, Breath & Body Control and Body Movement in NSD Repertory Company and many other theatre organisations. He has worked as a fight & movement choreographer in more than fifteen plays of NSD & NSD Repertory Company i.e. ‘Uttar Ramcharit’, ‘Baan Bhatt Ki Aatma Katha’, ‘Poshak’, ‘Comrade Kumbhkarna’, ‘Main Instanbul Hoon’, ‘Romeo & Juliet’, ‘Mashriki Hoor’, ‘Othelo’, ‘Hamlet’ etc. He has been participating in many International theatre festivals, e.g. Ibsen Commemoration in Bangladesh, ATEC International Theatre Festival in China, Colombo International Theatre Festival, among others.

RIKEN NGOMLE
Assistant Professor(Acting)

A Martial Artist, Actor and Director. Riken Ngomle pursued advance training in acting at Studio Matejka, Grotowsky Institute, Poland after graduating in Acting from National School of Drama, New Delhi. Later on, he worked as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Hyderabad for four years. Recently, he joined the National School of Drama as Assistant Professor (Acting).

Vivek Emmaneni
Assistant Professor, Classical Indian Drama

Vivek Emmaneni is an alumnus of NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAM. He has started his theatre journey from his childhood with his father’s group “kalaaranjani” he performed in one act plays, burrakatha, palle suddhulu, street plays, and he also learned kuchupudi three years and performed in t.v reality dance shows. After his completion of two master’s one in Organic chemistry and another one in communication & journalism he worked in T.F.I as an Associate Director and as a script writer, later on he studied Master of Performing Arts from Telugu University, Telangana and after the one year of course complition he got selected in National School of Drama. After the N.S.D he has joined as a professional artist at National school of drama REPERTORY COMPANY and he has done fellowship research project on the topic “EXPLORING STILLNESS”. He has worked 2years as an Assistant professor (Acting) at Ramanaidu film School HYDERABAD. He played major characters in Nearly 50 productions and performed more than 250 shows in a different forms. He has worked with Prof.Vidushi. Rita ganguly ji as an Actor and Associate Director. He participated in the UNESCO Chair on Theatre in Education’s “Asian Traditional Theatre Workshop” at “Central Academy of Drama”, China. He has NATIONAL level participation in Republic Day Parade at Rashtrapathi Road/Bhawan 26th January 2006 (N.S.S). While he was doing his fellowship research project He has also Participated in the Student Exchange program between the “Royal Academy of Dramatic Art” (RADA), London and the National School of Drama, New Delhi. He got best Actor award in Waikiki international film festival U.S.A and Florida Beach international film festival for his telugu debut film Titled “SCREENPLAY”.

Yashraj Jadhav
Associate Professor, Acting

Yashraj Jadhav is an Actor, Theatre director and performance maker. He graduated from the National School of Drama (92-95) with specialisation in Acting. He has been teaching Acting since 1995, along with directing, choreographing and designing plays and performances. He has acted in plays, films and television shows and T.V commercials.

Ramji Bali
Associate Professor, Modern Indian Drama

Born and brought up in Faridabad (Haryana), Ramji Bali has initially worked as an actor in NSD Repertory Company in the year 1997-98. Thereafter, he has received a Diploma in acting from National School of Drama in 2001. In the same year, he has established a theater group named Theater Wala and directed 65 plays successfully under it. Over the years, he has specialized in staging Sanskrit dramas. Bali has written nine full length plays till now. His articles and poems have been published in various magazines. In the year 2011, he was awarded the Young playwright award in theatre by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. During the period from 2018 to 2023, he was the Centre Director of National School of Drama, Varanasi and been instrumental in reviving training in Classical Theatre in India.

Dr. Jay Prakash
Assistant Professor, Music

A Sangeet Prabhakar from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, a NET A(UGC) qualified, M.Phil. and a Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi on “Unison of Sound and Aesthetics Sense in Modern Theatrical Experiments : With Special Reference to B. V. Karanth”, Dr. Jay Prakash has an exceptional track record of research and multiple academic works. He is a motivating and talented scholar in music and theatre driven to inspire students towards pursuing academic and personal excellence.

He has participated a number of workshops especially on Indian classical music, Classical Theatre (Aangik Abhinaya in Natyashashtra), make-up and photography etc. He has read his research papers on subjects like ‘Sangeet & Yoga’ and ‘Global Folk Culture : Traditions & its Reflections’ in various seminars held across the country. His articles on theatre and music are published in renowned research magazines in Hindi and English.

An actor, director, and musician, he has worked with eminent directors of India. He played flute in many plays including ‘Amlee’, written by Hrishikesh Sulabh. Dr. Jay Prakash has received a number of awards for his contribution in theatre and music.