Acting as an art is used to realize a fictional character through movement, gesture and intonation on stage or on television. However, in earlier days there were not many Indian institutions that could impart the skill to people. At present times, with the awareness around alternative career options, the scenario has changed. Here’s a list of popular acting institutes in India providing a comprehensive experience.
National School of Drama (NSD) set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi is a theatre training institute situated in New Delhi, India. Their training programmes are intense and is based on a thorough, comprehensive syllabus covering every aspect of theatre. As a part of their training, students are required to produce plays which are then performed before the public.
The professional performance wing of NSD - the ‘National School of Drama’ Repertory Company- was set up in 1964, with an aim to promote professional theatre in India. Its first head was Om Shivpuri, followed by Manohar Singh, Ram Gopal Bajaj (Acting Chief), J.N. Kaushal (Acting Chief), Anuradha Kapur (Acting Chief), and Suresh Sharma, Sagar Kamble, Atul Singhai (Animation chief).
Today, the Repertory Company, has staged over 120 plays based on the works of about 70 playwrights and featuring around 50 directors in several countries, and various cities across the nation. It also has its own festival every year, called Annual Repertory Company Summer Festival, in which it puts up new and past plays. In 2004, the repertory celebrated its 40th anniversary with a theatre festival in New Delhi.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh established Bhartendu Natya Kendra in August, 1975 in memory of Bhartendu Harishchandra, father of modern Hindi drama. The institute aims to impart professional training in various aspects of theatre. Their two-year diploma course started in 1981. During two year PG Diploma course at the Academy, an intensive training is imparted in Indian and Western theatre/drama emphasizing on Acting: movement, voice and speech, mime, improvisation, stage-craft: theatre architecture, scenic and set design, costume and make-up designing, light designing, direction and production process. Eminent theatre personalities of national and international repute are invited as visiting faculty in addition to regular faculty of the Academy. From time to time Academy organizes theatre festivals in association with other national institutes, academies and other cultural centres along with district administration to introduce national and international theatre to the trainees and to entertain theatre lovers.
The Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam offers Kattaikkuttu training to young people of 7 to 18 years. The training is residential and requires students to stay at the Gurukulam. It takes about four years for a young person to acquire foundational performance skills. The Gurukulam has brought Kattaikkuttu training and onstage performances within reach of rural girls and young women. This is a historic innovation in a theatre that traditionally has been a male prerogative and in a rural society that continues to stigmatize the profession of actress therewith denying rural girls and women a (artistic) voice. The Gurukulam’s dual curriculum recognizes the importance of theatre as education and the role that theatre’s embodied skills play in the understanding of self. The training, education and care that students receive at the Gurukulam equips them with sound artistic, intellectual and life skills.
Set up by the Government of India in 1960, Film and Television Institute of India is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. Besides many other film-related courses, the institute offers a two-year course in acting.
The School for Arts, Mumbai founded by veteran actor Anupam Kher was started in the year 2005. It offers a full time diploma course of 3 months, where he covers topics like acting techniques, body movements, stunts, martial arts, voice culture, scene studies, script analysis, diction, speech, dance etc.
There is also a part-time certificate course of 1 month, which is a mini version of the full time course. It covers main topics like acting techniques, body movements, voice culture, dance etc.
The courses offered at the institute enable the actors to shed their inhibitions and develop an imaginative flair for the craft.
Centre for Research in Art of Film and Television (CRAFT), New Delhi was started in the year 2006 by a non-profit organization to improve the discipline in various parts of the film industry. They offer a 6 month course in acting and modelling.
Established in the year 2006, Whistling Woods International, Mumbai is owned by Bollywood director, Subhash Ghai. It is the first acting institute in India to offer MBA in Media & Entertainment. They offer a three year B.A. course in acting. It serves as both a training ground and an educational field for the student aspiring to be an actor. The objective of this programme is to teach the art and craft of acting primarily for the cinema, as well as for all other allied acting careers; television, advertising, theatre & the voice-over industry.
Asian Academy of Film and Television is a film school located in India’s Noida Film City in the National Capital Region. AAFT was started in 1993. It offers diploma and masters degree in various categories. Besides various film-related courses, it provides both a 2 year as well as a 3 year course in acting.
Institute of Creative Excellence (ICE) is an initiative by Balaji Telefilms aimed at creating and harnessing new talent in the field of Media and Entertainment. Conceptualised and realised by industry mavens, ICE kick-started the filming and performing arts courses and programs back in 2010. The institute offers 18 courses including acting, modelling, cinematography etc.
The Barry John Acting Studio, Mumbai was founded by British-born Indian director and teacher, Barry John, who has 40 years of experience in the field. It offers part-time certificate course in acting (3 months) and a Diploma in Film Acting (16 weeks). Their acting courses are up-to-date and comprehensive, using proven methods and inspiring, empowering techniques. The course begins with a wide range of physical and vocal exercises to enhance flexibility and control, followed by major projects such as dance drama; street theatre; status exercise; solo work; script reading and filmed scene work using international techniques. This is followed by a multi-week film acting module.
XI. Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research
Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research is a contemporary theatre research and repertory company near Pondicherry, India. They are engaged in performance research as well as in the making of theatre performances, thereby developing their own unique theatrical language. Their research findings are disseminated through residential workshops to people in varied disciplines. In reaching out to other performance groups, artists and ideators, Adishakti helps them evolve their own workshops residencies, retreats, seminars and performances in a space that encourages hybrid expression.
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