Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha is a veteran Indian theatre and film actor, director, and playwright. He is widely recognized for his contributions to the field of theatre and has written and directed numerous plays.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha was born on Friday, May 8, 1953, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Hair Colour: Salt & Pepper (Semi-bald)
Eye Colour: Light Brown
EDUCATION
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha holds a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a Bachelor of Law degree. He specialized in direction by undertaking a course at the Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, during 1976-1977. Notably, he was part of the first batch of students at Bhartendu Natya Academi (B.N.A.), where he later served as the director.
CAREER
Throughout his career, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha has worked with various Indian and foreign directors, both as an actor and director. He has been involved in theatrical productions such as ‘Kolage,’ ‘Tambe Ke Keerey,’ ‘Mahanagar – Teen Samwad,’ ‘Ek Aur Dronacharya,’ ‘Burning Path,’ and ‘Barefoot in Athens.’ His directorial debut was with the Greek play ‘King Oedipus,’ and he has gone on to direct around 100 plays in different languages with numerous theatre groups and drama institutes.
Apart from his work in theatre, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha is also a prolific playwright. Some of his notable plays include ‘Natak Ganesh – Marka,’ ‘Tukare,’ ‘Insaf Ka Ghera’ (a Hindi version of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’), ‘Veer Lorik’ (based on Indian tribal folklore), ‘Mrig Trishna’ (a modern play based on Buddha’s principles and life), and ‘Parivartan Ki Gatha’ (based on Dalit movements).
Additionally, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha has contributed articles and write-ups on various aspects of theatre, which have been published in newspapers and periodicals like Rang Prasang and Chhayanat. He has also showcased his skills in set and costume design for many of the plays he has directed.
Furthermore, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha has conducted theatre workshops and delivered lectures not only in India but also in countries like Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway. His expertise has been recognized by esteemed institutions, including Arhus University in Denmark, where he was invited to conduct a workshop and deliver a lecture in 1993.
As an educator, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha has served as a visiting faculty member at Bhartendu Natya Academi, where he teaches theatre direction, and at Lucknow University, where he imparts acting classes. He has also conducted workshops organized by the National School of Drama in New Delhi and has been a visiting faculty member at the Drama School in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, and IIT Kanpur. Additionally, he has served as an external examiner for M.A. Theatre students at Mithila University and Kashi Vidhyapeeth University in Varanasi. In 2006, he became a member of the selection committee for admission at the National School of Drama in New Delhi.
In terms of his filmography, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha has appeared in various projects over the years. In 2020, he portrayed the character of Ramjap Baba in Netflix’s English drama romance TV mini-series ‘A Suitable Boy,’ based on Vikram Seth’s novel. He worked as an assistant director and wrote screenplay and dialogues for Doordarshan’s TV serial ‘Amir Khusrau’
