Mita Vashisht

Mita Vashisht (born 2 November 1967)

Early life Mita Vashisht was born on 2 November 1967 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. 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. 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.

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).

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.

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

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. 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.

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. 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 Shaadi Se Pehle 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 Video2022Good Luck JerrySharbati, Jerry's motherReleased on Disney+ Hotstar 2026 Rehmat 2026 Gandhari Netflix

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

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

1996: Won, Star Screen Award, for Best Supporting Actress Drohkaal 1990: Won, BFJA Awards Bengal Film Journalist Award, Best supporting Actress Drishti 2019 :Won, Moonwhite Films International Film Fest (MWFIFF) Best Actress Supporting Role Mita Vasisht (Gulabi) Kasaai (The Devil) 2022 : Filmfare OTT Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Web original film - Chhorii.