Planning, programming, partnering, promoting...

You have had a long association with theatre. Tell us when and how you developed an interest and decided to turn it into a career?

I started my theatre company, Scene Stealers, when I was in college in Kolkata. After college, I combined my day job with an almost parallel alternative career in theatre, as an actor, director, writer and producer. It has helped me travel to and perform in various parts of the world and to connect with some of the most amazingly talented people who are friends for life. Theatre has been a brilliant training ground for every life skill.

Which of your performances has been the closest to your heart?

Playing the very hilarious but lovable bachelor Yvan in Yasmina Reza’s brilliant comedy ART, who, despite his own crises, goes out of his way to patch up the relationship between his two best friends, who have had a bitter fight over a work of art. It was not only a brilliant and fun role, but also the play helped me to appreciate how delicate friendships can be, and how a minor spark can set off a wild fire of misunderstanding; one has to be really careful and not take one’s friends for granted.

You have worked with the British Council before, as well. What changes have you noticed and how do you feel about it?

My previous stint with the British Council was in the twentieth century! The British Council in the twenty-first century retains its core values, but the people, processes and products are dramatically different, in keeping with the changing times. As a theatre person, I can appreciate that like in a play, each successive act adds a new dimension to the plot and the drama. I feel as though I am back on stage in a long-running musical, albeit with a new team of directors, a new principal and supporting cast, new promotion strategies, new sets and costumes, a revised script and some new songs!

If not the arts, what career path would you have chosen for yourself?

Throughout my work life, I have maintained a healthy balance between being an education manager and an arts practitioner/manager. Arts and education are closest to my heart, and I feel lucky that I have had terrific opportunities to work in both these sectors. An optional career path would have been in the media, as an anchor or a talk show host, focusing on entertainment and/or social issues not on politics!

What does a regular day in your life look like?

Morning is for time with family, yoga or a walk in the park, my spiritual practice, a healthy breakfast and getting set for the day. A manically busy day at office with back-to-back meetings with colleagues, artists, producers, partners, applicants, arts contacts. Responding to a tsunami of emails and a deluge of phone calls. Planning, programming, partnering, promoting our work in the arts. A quick break for lunch, then back to the business of arts. In the evening attending a British Council event, or one or more events organised by others, networking with existing and new contacts. Back home for dinner and time with family. Catching up on reading, music, television, responding to urgent emails, online chatting with friends and finally crashing out after an exhausting but fulfilling day.

Rapid fire:

Delhi or Kolkata?

Kolkata past. Delhi present.

Your favourite play and favourite movie?

Play: Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman, which I saw on Broadway. It was an electrifying experience

Movie: Moulin Rouge by Buz Luhrmann, which I have seen several times; a stunning magnum opus

Top 3 things on your wish list?

· To knock off all the kilos I have put on in the past year;

· Reading all the books and watching all the DVDs I have collected but not had the time to read or see;

· To write and direct a musical that inspires and motivates all kinds of audiences.

Languages you speak?

English, Hindi, Bengali, Sindhi.

Are you a social media person?

Totally. Facebook addict. Life would be incomplete without my 5,000 Facebook friends! Twitter occasionally.

Take your pick – dance, music or visual arts? (No, we’re not giving you theatre as an option!)

Dance. The magic, power and luminosity of a great dance performance can stay with you for a long time…

Things you love and things you hate about Delhi

Love – monuments, parks, museums, restaurants, malls, interesting mix of people, Delhi winters.

Hate – pollution, road rage, general apathy to social issues, mobiles going off during shows, Delhi summers.

Your hobbies?

Reading, travelling, movies, theatre, music concerts, art shows, spa retreats, meeting new people, trying out new cuisines

Pet peeves?

People expecting free invites for performing arts events even when shows are ticketed really gets me annoyed….

Next acting/directorial venture?

Can’t wait to get back on stage, but nothing in the pipeline as of now…

Vivek Mansukhani is Director Arts for British Council India.