25 students from Salaam Bombay Foundation’s (SBF) Academy of Arts will get a lifetime opportunity to learn the knack of acting and theatre performance from some of industry experts in a special workshop organised by Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares, Acting School. The special workshop will take place on May 7.
Veteran actor Anupam Kher is offering scholarships to a handful of exceptionally talented students from municipal run schools in an attempt to help these resource challenged acting aspirants build a career as actors and performers. Most of these students hail from humble background and yet have achieved a remarkable feat in the art of acting. The workshop is organised with a motive to further hone their skill and teach them the intricacies of acting that are mostly a part of expensive courses.
20-year-old Siddhesh Pardhi who is going to be a part of the workshop expresses his excitement and gratitude for this one-of-its-kind opportunity. Siddesh, is a 2nd year college student who suffered his share of hardships during the pandemic. His mother was a tailor who lost employment due to Covid-19, now she runs a small-scale bakery and Siddesh helps her with it. Siddesh caught the craze of acting since he was just 10-years-old, he was a movie buff since childhood and took pleasure in mimicking actors. Following his love and enthusiasm for acting, Siddesh got enrolled in SBF’s Theatre academy at the age of 12. It was because of the correct means and appropriate training that just within months he started improvising his scripts and developing his own style. From class 7th, he started taking part in theatres and local stage performances. His talent and zeal got him a role in Rani Mukherjee starrer Bollywood movie Hichki. Following that Siddesh appeared in a couple of episodes of Crime Patrol also.
Somewhat similar is the story of Priyanka Kotwal, another acting aficionado who is also going to be a part of the workshop.
Priyanka is a daughter of an auto rickshaw driver and a resident of Borivali but she never let her limitations stop her from pursuing her love for acting. Priyanka discovered her fondness for acting after she attended SBF’s introduction to theatre sessions at her school. Since 8th standard she started participating in theatre workshops and performances and then never looked backed. Today, Priyanka boasts a rich resume, she is an assistant trainer at SBF’s theatre academy and has performed several times with renowned actor, writer, director and puppeteer Meena Naik in the past, plus she has also appeared in a series on YouTube and has done numerous voice overs for several animated shows. She believes that theatre has helped her in building confidence as well as enhanced her personality. Her dream is to make a career in theatre and take up script writing and direction in future.
This workshop is most awaited for several such acting enthusiasts, it is expected to give them an insight of the professional world of acting along with educating them about the do’s and don’ts of different sorts of roles and characters. Most of the students who are going to participate are looking forward to opening their avenues in the world of professional acting.
Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares came into existence in 2005 in Mumbai as a professional drama school for actors to learn the craft using modern techniques and methods. It is the only institute in the world that is headed by a globally recognized actor who is still active professionally. Looking at the dedication and the hard work of these students, the actor decided to create a special workshop to sharpen their acting skills and creativity.
