On Episode 84 of #LearningStories we chat with Ranjana Aanjjan Srivastava on Theatre and Design. She has 14 years of live theatre experience and 7 years of work experience in the design industry. As a graphic designer and visual consultant she has worked with brands like Asian Paints, Catrol, Lakme Fashion Week, Papa Johns, Pedigree and Whiskas. She also grew up immersed in the world of theatre as a young child and has acted in over 200 live performances of plays like Shatranj Ke Mohre, Drishtidaan, Bilquis Begum Ka Baada and Ek Aur Dronacharya. She has also shown her versatility as an actor through music videos and print work. In this episode we spoke about her childhood influences, life as a theatre actor and her experiences working on brand campaigns as a designer.

Timestamps

(00:10) - Podcast Introduction

(01:10) - Guest Background

(03:00) - Who was Ranjana as a student?

(03:50) - What subjects did you find interesting in school?

(05:15) - Why did you like History as a subject?

(08:00) - What was it like growing up in a family that worked in the arts?

(09:50) - "I always wanted to explore the things I could be good at"

(10:00) - How I thought about choosing my career?

(11:00) - "I did my first audition for a street play at St. Xaviers"

(11:35) - "I used to attend a lot of theatre rehearsals growing up"

(12:00) - What was different about acting as a career?

(13:00) - "As an actor I use my inferences from life experiences and observations"

(13:10) - How to find your space and voice as an actor?

(15:10) - What is the purpose of theatre as an art form?

(15:40) - What is the story of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA)?

(17:15) - "'Natak' is audio and visual combined"

(18:05) - "Empathy is one of the most important things for an art form"

(18:35) - What is the responsibility of an artist?

(19:30) - How has theatre changed in the modern times

(21:30) - "The audience will connect with your heart and soul"

(22:30) - The skills of theatre actors

(23:15) - What have you learned from other theatre actors and theatre directors?

(25:30) - What did I learn from Aanjjan Srivastava?

(27:00) - What did I learn from observing M.S. Sathyu's set designs?

(28:35) - What did I learn from observing Naseeruddin Shah's plays?

(32:00) - What was your experience as a student at St. Xaviers and KC College?

(32:20) - What degree and specialization did you complete in college?

(32:40) - "St. Xaviers gave me my knack for acting"

(32:50) - "KC gave me my early experiences in design"

(33:20) - "You study 36 different subjects over 3 years in the BMM program"

(34:00) - How did you learn about design in college?

(35:00) - "I would take up design projects from agencies and peers"

(35:20) - How did you apply your design skills in the world of theatre?

(42:30) - What professional experiences did you acquire after university?

(43:30) - What was your experience working on a food festival campaign?

(46:20) - "Alignment and Harmony is important for any campaign"

(48:45) - What are the different kinds of design professionals?

(55:20) - How to study and acquire skills in the field of design?

(58:20) - What are your favourite brands and products as a designer?

(1:01:10) - "Good designers focus on functionality and aesthetics"

(1:01:40) - What are some roles you have worked on as an actor in plays?

(1:03:00) - How do you prepare for a play as an actor?

(1:08:50) - What are the three main jobs of an actor?

(1:13:00) - Challenges of the acting profession

(1:17:45) - Recommendations and Closing Notes

Links

Ranjana on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ranjana.aanjjan/

Ranjana on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjana-aanjjan-srivastava-332797b8/

IPTA Mumbai Plays - http://iptamumbai.com/PlaysRecommendation 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/382702.On_Acting

Recommendation 2 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237328.The_Art_of_Acting

Recommendation 3 - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21818816/