Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha is a veteran Indian theater and film actor and director. He has written and directed many theater plays. He is the former director of Bhartendu Natya Academi in Lucknow.
Wiki/Biography
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha was born on Friday, 8 May 1953 (age 70 years; in 2023) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. His zodiac sign is Taurus. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Laws. He followed a specialization course in directing at the Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts (1976-1977) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He was one of the students from the first batch of students at Bhartendu Natya Academi (BNA).
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 8″
Hair Color: Salt & Pepper (Half Bald)
Eye Color: Light Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Kameshwar Nath Kulshreshtha, and his mother’s name is Girija Devi.
Wife & Children
His wife, Neelam Kulshreshtha, is a housewife.
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha with Neelam Kulshreshtha
The couple has two sons named Tuhin Kulshreshtha, vice president at Barclays Capital, and Nitin Kulshreshtha, assistant brand manager at Sunfeast Biscuits, ITC.
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha with his family
Address
C-11, Sector- I, Aliganj, Lucknow-226024
Career
Theater
Actor
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha started his acting career as a child artiste in a theater production where he played the role of a deity on the occasion of Janmashtami. He has worked in many theater productions, directed by Indian and foreign directors, including ‘Kolage,’ ‘Tambe Ke Keerey,’ Mahanagar – Teen Samwad, ‘Ek Aur Dronacharya,’ ‘Burning Path,’ and ‘Barefoot in Athens.’
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha in the theater play ‘On Feet in Athens’
Director
He started his career as a theater director with the Greek play ‘King Oedipus.’ He has directed around 100 plays in various languages with many theater groups and in many drama institutes. He directed a play titled ‘Andhere Mein,’ which is based on Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh’s book of the same name. Some of the Hindi dramas directed by him are ‘Ram Leela,’ ‘Vasansi Jirnani,’ ‘Andha Yug,’ ‘Bhagwajjukeeyam,’ ‘Mrichchakatikam – Mitti Ki Gadi,’ ‘Adhe Adhure,’ and ‘Hulhuliya.’
Poster of 2023 Hindi drama ‘Hulhuliya’
Some other language dramas directed by him include ‘Mid-Summer Night’s Dream,’ ‘The Exception and the Rule’, ‘Lower Depths’ and ‘Men Without Shadows.’ He also directed ‘Puho Mies,’ a Finnish drama.
Playwright
In addition to being an actor and theater director, he is also a playwright. He has written many plays including ‘Natak Ganesh – Marka,’ ‘Tukare,’ ‘Insaf Ka Ghera,’ which is the Hindi version of ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’ by Bertolt Brecht, ‘Veer Lorik,’ based on Indian tribal folklore, ‘Mrig Trishna ,’ a modern drama based on Buddhist principles and life, ‘Parivartan Ki Gatha,’ based on the Dalit movement. He has written many articles and writings on various aspects of theatre, which were published in many newspapers and periodicals including Rang Prasang and Chhayanat.
Designer
He has designed the sets and costumes for most of the plays he has directed.
Other Works in the Theatre
He has conducted many theater workshops and delivered lectures in many countries including India, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and many more. In 1993, the University of Arhus in Denmark invited him to conduct workshops and deliver lectures. He teaches theater direction, as a visiting faculty member, at Bhartendu Natya Academi. He took acting classes, as a visiting faculty member, at Lucknow University. He has conducted workshops, organized by the National School of Drama in New Delhi. He has taken theater classes and delivered lectures as a visiting faculty at the School of Drama in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh and IIT Kanpur. He was invited as an external examiner for MA students in Theater by Mithila University and Kashi Vidhyapeeth University in Varanasi. In 2006, he was appointed as a member of the selection committee for admission at the National School of Drama in New Delhi.
Television
Mini Series
In 2020, he played Ramjap Baba in Netflix’s English romantic drama TV miniseries ‘A Suitable Boy,’ which is based on Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel of the same name.
Poster for the 2022 Netflix TV miniseries ‘A Suitable Boy’
Other Works
In 1988, he worked as an assistant director and wrote scripts and dialogues for the Doordarshan TV series ‘Amir Khusrau.’ In the 1980s, he wrote the script for the Doordarshan TV show ‘Theatre Quiz.’ He wrote screenplays and dialogues for TV series ‘Tagore Stories,’ Kinara Door Nahin, and ‘Pathrile Raaste.’
Movie
In 1993, he was cast as the lead in the Sanskrit drama film ‘Bhagvad Gita: Song of the Lord’ directed by GV Iyer.
Poster of the 1993 Sanskrit film ‘Bhagvad Gita – Song of the Lord’
The film won the Golden Lotus Award at the National Film Awards in India. In 2013, he played the supporting role of Tiwari in the Hindi crime drama film ‘Monsoon Shootout.’ In 2018, he appeared as Badri Kaka in the thriller drama film ‘Daas Dev.’ In 2023, he portrayed the role of Asaram Bapu in the Hindi courtroom drama film ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ (previously known as ‘Bandaa’).
Other Works
In 1986, he worked as an assistant director and production controller for the National Award-winning Hindi drama film ‘Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin.’
Short film
In 2003, he appeared as Dhabewala in the Indian silent crime drama short film ‘The Bypass’ starring Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The short film won the Staff Award at the Milan Film Festival.
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha in a still from the 2003 silent short film ‘The Bypass’
Other Works
From 1974 to 1985, he worked as vice president, general secretary, and treasurer of the Meghdoot Theater group. From 1985 to 1991, he worked as president, vice-president, and LKO at the Indian People’s Theater Association (IPTA). He is also a member of the National Executive of IPTA. In 1991, he was appointed as the director and president of the National Institute of Progressive Art (NIPA) Rangmandali. He is the former director of the Uttar Pradesh government theater training institute Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Won the Rang Yatra Samman in 1993
- Won UP Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995
- Won Fankar Bhartiya Society Award in 1996
- Won the Best Costume Design Award for the play ‘Love For Ever’ at the International Theater Festival in the United States in 1998
- Received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2015 for his contribution in the field of theater directing
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the then president Pranab Mukherjee in 2015
- Won an ‘Honorary Diploma’ awarded by the International Amateur Theater Association in Norway
- Honored by NGO Navonmesh in 2020 for completing 10 years with the NGO
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha received an Award from NGO Navonmesh in 2020
Facts/Trivia
- Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha is often called Doordarshan’s ‘A’ grade actor.
- He has worked on a radio show titled ‘Hawa Mahal.’
- In 1972, he started working at Life India Corporation (LIC) and resigned in 2006. In an interview, while talking about how his job helped him in following his passion as working in theater was not enough, he said,
My job has helped me nurture my passion. They gave me a lot of freedom for the theater. The fact is, without a job, the theater cannot sustain me. Then, the only option is to make TV or movies to survive. In the Hindi belt, to live with only theater is still not possible. Then it’s harder. All theater legends have done something or either. Rajji (Bisaria) is teaching, Anil Rastogi is at CDRI, and Urmil Kumar Thapliyal is in radio. So are others. For games, there are grants but that has opened ‘shops’. There are people who run multiple societies in groups and commit fraud to get grants. Today, after many years, I can say that theater can sustain me but it is not the same for everyone. Besides, my lectures and workshops give me a return.”
- In 1985, the drama ‘Ram Leela’ directed by Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha received an award at the Sangeet Natak Akademi National Festival in Delhi.
- In 1991, his play ‘Bhagwadjjukeeyam’ received the honor of best production at the World Theater Festival held in Norway.
- In 1993, he represented India at the World Theater Project in Germany.
- He directed the play ‘Kundmala,’ which was performed at Kalidas Samaroh in Ujjain in 1999.
- In an interview, while talking about his theater vision and what he has learned over the years of working in the theater industry, he said,
Everyone has their own vision for the theater and over time it continues to evolve. The first thing I learned was that visuals should speak louder than words. Through Hawa Mahal’s radio show, I learned the importance of audio that can create visuals while the value of simplicity I learned from Ram Leela. My actual training took place under the influence of strong people and learned from BNA. My vision expanded with various forms of theater — realistic, international (western), folk and classical. My canvas widened by reading various philosophies, literature, culture and history.”
- He drinks alcohol occasionally.
Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha drinks beer
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
