Aum Theatre Mumbai
About Us
Aum Theatre Mumbai started humbly when a few theatre friends took the thought of ‘performing exceptional plays’ in their own hands! Akshay and Shirin, ardent lovers of Manto Saahab’s work, got so inspired by his writings that they travelled across Mumbai and visited the places that Manto Saahab mentioned in his stories to get inspired. In the process, the enigmatic streets of Mumbai gave them the required masala to cook up feisty characters that they wanted to showcase to their audiences through their plays.
Nangi Aawazein, based on a short story by Saadat Hasan Manto Saahab, is one such theatre production that has been affectionately embraced by Aum’s audience at every rerun.
This humble group, now headed by Akshay Mishra, a theatre and film director from Ranchi Jharkhand, is flourishing steadily and is branching out to also include digital content together with several original plays. Akshay is not only the group’s lead but also the official midnight oil burner of the group who is continuously on the prowl for fascinating stories.
He is the lead but let’s not give him all the credit!
He has a very enthusiastic Fijian sidekick, and she is Sharon Chandra, a citizen of the Fiji Islands. She is also a Senior Content Writer, a Kathak Dancer, and an Actor!
The duo, together with the rest of the Team Aum, are trying to ensure that Aum Theatre Mumbai becomes one of ‘the best theatre groups in Mumbai’.
Aum Theatre Mumbai comprises diligent male and female actors, singers, dancers, mime, and martial artists. Team Aum Theatre Mumbai also performs their plays with live music, original compositions and poetry, classical and folk dances, and other forms of performing arts such as mime, Kalaripayattu, etc.
Aum Theatre Mumbai will be performing the following plays and storytelling sessions soon:
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Chhatariya
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Nangi Aawaazein
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Dhappa
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Chugad
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Boo
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& Stamp Collection.
Please stay connected with us and do follow our social media accounts to know when we will perform for you next!
Akshay Mishra began his theatre career in 2000 when he joined a theatre group called Yuva Rang Manch. He learned the craft under the guru shishya parampara from the eminent theatre personality Mr. Ajai Malkani (NSD faculty and alumni) for eight years. Since then, he has trained under various faculties of NSD and FTII, though he is not from any of the above drama schools.
Akshay holds a dual bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Pune where he founded his theatre group, Aum Theatre Mumbai, during his college days.
He started his theatre career as a mime artist, trained under Padmashree Niranjan Goswami (NSD). Later, he discovered his love for the craft in direction and designing lights for theatre when he moved to Mumbai. In 2009, Akshay directed his first play named Chatariyan by Mohan Rakesh, which won second prize in International Theatre Fest in Symbiosis University, Pune.
He has been involved in the art and pursued theatre for over a decade. Akshay has adapted and written scripts for his theatre group, Aum Theatre Mumbai.
His style of theatre production is quite different while approaching the text. His theatre production also includes poetries, live singing, classical dance, metaphorically-devised scenes with an overall experimental approach which justifies the text and subtext at the same time. Nangi Awaazein, his latest production, is a visual treat for the audiences.
Nangi Aawazein is a contemporary musical adaptation of one of the short stories of Saadat Hasan Manto by Aum Theatre Mumbai. Akshay is currently working on a few new projects which include a horror play in his list.
Akshay Mishra
Founder, Director, Playwright, Actor
“Never a Rebel... I only see and present stories, my way!”
Sharon Chandra
Actor, Kathak Dancer, Senior Content Writer, Core Team Member
"From Fiji to India, with the aim to do only outstanding theatre work!"
Leaving a high profile corporate job and a position of CFO, Sharon migrated to India from Fiji Islands in 2011 for her Kathak scholarship, in Kathak Kendra New Delhi.
During her Kathak scholarship days, she also started working as an actor at Sri Ram Centre Delhi (SRC), where she managed to grab leading roles in various theatre productions which premiered at Shri Ram Centre.
After the completion of her scholarship, Sharon moved to Mumbai.
She then worked as a film festival coordinator for the Singapore South Asian Film Festival. She also worked as a voice-over artist.
The passion for Indian classical dances and Kathak dance, theatre and Bollywood turned a foreigner into an Indian artist who speaks impeccable Hindi now.
Having a financial background and artistic mind, Sharon takes care of the financials as well as the designing department of Aum Theatre Mumbai’s productions.
Sharon is a Core Team Member, Content Collaborator, and actor in Aum Theatre Mumbai.
In Nangi Aawazein, the musical and contemporary adaptation of Saadat Hasan Manto's short story, which is Aum Theatre Mumbai’s latest production, she played the lead role which was highly received by audiences.
Team Aum
Samant Lakra
FTII Graduate, Sound Designer and Production Sound Mixer at Aum Theatre Mumbai
Ajit Srivastava
Percussionist, Musician and Singer at Aum Theatre Mumbai
Amit Ranjan
Indian Idol Contestant, Musician, Composer and Singer at Aum Theatre Mumbai
Gaurav Sharma
Actor at Aum Theatre Mumbai
Shirin Anand Dubey
Co- Writer at Aum Theatre Mumbai
Founder of Aum Manch Par AstitvaChhindwara