Mita Vashisht

Mita Vashisht (born 2 November 1967) is an Indian actress. Known for her work on screen, stage and television, she has played a wide range of roles. Her most prominent appearances includes; sci-fi television series Space City Sigma (1989-1991), Pachpan Khambe Laal Deewarein, Swabhimaan, Alaan (Kirdaar) to Trishna in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Jethi Maa in Kaala Teeka to film roles with a wide spectrum of directors with different cinema styles.

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

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.

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.