Mita Vashisht
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2008-07-06T03:27:53Z
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'''Meeta Vasisht''' '''(मीता विशष्ठ)''' is an [[India]]n television, film and theatre [[actress]], who graduated from [[National School of Drama]], (NSD), [[New Delhi]] in [[1987]].
A post-graduate in literature from [[Punjab University, Chandigarh]] and a graduate from the [[National School of Drama]] (Delhi) she is also visiting faculty to some of the premier 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, Leichester) and in Damascus. She teaches students of fashion design, film direction and acting, using theatre techniques.
Meeta has written and produced three short films, as well as a serial for television. She has worked as executive producer on the award winning film 'The name of a River' (A BFI (London)- NFDC (India)- Bangladesh film co-prodution).
She has worked in off-beat cinema as well as in commercial roles. She has worked in theatre and has written scripts as well. Since [[2004]], she has performed her solo play in English, Hindi and Kashmiri, titled, 'Lal Ded', based on life of medieval Kashmiri mystic [[Lal Ded]], all over India <ref>[http://www.hindu.com/lr/2005/05/01/stories/2005050100170400.htm Songs of a mystic] [[The Hindu]], May 01, 2005.</ref><ref>[http://nationalschoolofdrama.blogspot.com/2007/04/mita-vasisth-lal-ded.html Lal Ded at NCPA Bombay]</ref>.
Due to her roles that often challenge the superficially-traditional outlook of the Indian society, she is often labelled a "non-conforming artiste" by the media.
Apart from acting, Meeta is also actively involved in social work. She has worked with children in remand homes and with [[sex worker]]s (she started a theatre troupe by enlisting 30 sex workers).
She has not had any significant assignments from 2004, after the film ''[[Phir Milenge]]''.
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Meeta Vasisht created a non-conformist niche for herself in Indian cinema with her very first two films 'Siddheshwari' and 'Kasba'. Even as her amazing performances in both films were hailed by critics and audiences, she entered a storm of controversy for having unabashedly appeared in the full nude in those films. ( In the entire history of Indian cinema she is possibly the only actress to have done so)
She however, quashed all controversy that arose around those films, with surprising maturity for a young twenty something actress.
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In June 2001 Meeta established Mandala, space for arts collaborations research and education. It's aim was to spearhead a new movement in the arts, to centre stage and individuate the performing arts in society (she considers that imperative, in the face of an electronic media onslaught) 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).
As artistic director of Mandala she created Mandala TAM (theatre arts module)--- 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.
This methodology was then replicated in remand homes in Bombay, Orissa, Nasik and Andhra Pradesh by some of the trafficked minors who had graduated to becoming Mandala Tam teachers.
(I'm really proud of these kids... quite a few of them are in regular touch with me...they are my extended family' quote-unquote Meeta)
Currently, while continuing to work for the cause of trafficked minors, Meeta is engaged in acting in feature films and in performing 'Lal Ded'---- a seventy minute solo theatre performance based on the life and poetry of the great 14th century Kashmiri woman mystic and poet of the same name.
She has been signed on by an Indo German publishing house Vitastaa to write a book on her experience of the trafficked minors.
Meeta is also currently working on the pre production of her debut directorial venture--- a feature film scripted by her.
==Filmography==
* "Idiot" (1991) TV mini series <ref>[http://movies.nytimes.com/person/1254590/Mita-Vashisth Filmography] NY Times</ref>
33 feature films in Hindi and other languages (pl see website www.mitavasisht.com)
==References==
<references/>
==External links==
* [http://mitavasisht.com/index.htm Official website]
*{{imdb name | id=0890622 | name=Mita Vashisht}}
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020803/windows/main2.htm A non-conforming artiste - The Tribune, 2002]
DIARY OF EVENTS (Theatre performance, seminars and other events): Meeta Vasisht
Performed 'Lal Ded' at the SUFI INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL Srinigar. June 2008
Sent as delegate on six member team to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to engage in civil society dialogue, on behalf of ICCR, Govt. of India. April 2008.
Invited as delegate to Vienna to speak at the UN GIFT Conference (Global initiative to fight human trafficking). February 2008.
(Other media personalities were Ricky Martin and Emma Tompson. The conference was attended by 1500 delegates from all over the world).
Performed 'Lal Ded' at 'Bharangam' --the international theatre festival of NSD, Delhi (this year to commemorate the golden jubilee celebrations of the National School of Drama) January 2008.
Meeta Vasisht invited as speaker to the First United Nations GIFT Conference held in New Delhi, to speak on her work for the Rehabilitation of trafficked minors using the Theatre arts Module (TAM) methodology, September 2007.
Invited to perform Lal Ded at the Hungry Heart International theatre festival, New Delhi. May 2007
Performances of Lal Ded at NCPA, Mumbai, April 2007.
Invited to conduct a two week workshop on Voice and Speech with acting students FTII (Film Institute) Pune. April 2007.
Invitied to speak at the seminar on Lal Ded held at the India International Centre (IIC) Delhi, by the foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. March 2007.
Invited to perform Lal Ded on world theatre day, in Pune. Sponsored by the Alliance Francaise at Pune the performances were held at the FTII Shantaram Pond. March 27th and 28th, 2006
Was Jury member for the Osian Cinefan Film Festival, New Delhi, July 2005.
Osian cinefan also invited Meeta Vasisht and film director Mani Kaul for a joint seminar at the Osian Cinefan Talent Campus. Vasisht and Kaul discussed the crafts of acting and directing, with special reference to their work together. July 2005
Meeta Vasisht performe Lal Ded at the Hungry Heart International Theatre festival. New Delhi. May 2005.
Performed Lal Ded for 'Akshara' (a Bombay based Ngo) on World Human Rights day. Venue Elphinston college, Bombay. Dec 2004.
Completion of three years of Mandala TAM (the theatre arts module developed by Meeta Vasisht) with trafficked minors ---August 2004.
Performance of the comedy "Neeti Manakikaran" by Mandala Tam students at World Social Forum, January 2004, Mumbai.
Month long workshop by Mandala Tam Teachers (teachers included four of the once trafficked girls) at Nasik Lok Vikas Dec 2003-Jan 2004
Meeta Vasisht Invited to bring Mandala TAM and the play Neeti Manakikaran, directed by her, featuring trafficked minors to the POORVA International Theatre festival and three day seminar of Women directors, New Delhi, January 2003.
(Simultaneously the Mandala TAM workshops, conducted by Vasisht and her team are in progress daily at the Deonar Rehabilitation centre for trafficked minors, throughout the years 2001, 2002 2003 and 2004).
Vasisht organizes the National TAM workshop of two weeks duration. Participants are the renowned Smt. Gul Bardhan of the Little Ballet Troupe, Bhopal, famous mime artist and teacher Madhusudan from Hyderabad, Shri Girish Parmar potter and artist, Mumbai, Shri Bhagwandas Raikwad renowned Lathi guru from the akhada, Sagar (M.P), Team of four teacher of Kallaripayet from the Kalari in Trissur, Kerala, Block placement student and Sociology graduate from Bangalore, and Mandala Tam regular teachers.
The workshop students were the inmates of Centre for trafficked minors, women from Home for homeless women and dowry victims, women from the Beggars home. The workshop was concluded with a public performance of the performing arts and a crafts exhibition by the students of the workshop. Venue : The open air theatre (built by Mandala) at the Deonar rehabilitation centre. October 2003.
[[Category:Indian actors|Vasisht, Mita]]
[[Category:Indian film actors]]
[[Category:Indian television actors]]
[[Category:Indian theatre directors]]
[[Category:Indian stage actors]]
[[Category:National School of Drama alumni]]