K Nagaraj

K Nagaraj is originally from a small village in Karnataka. He has completed his MA in stage acting and has been working in theatre for many years. He practices the ancient art form of 'Chowdike', which is now on the brink of extinction.  He is a stage artist and has acted and given technical support in many Kannada plays. He has also participated in some art festivals in Karnataka, and has trained at the ‘Vistara Ranga School’.

The ‘Chowdike’ is a folk instrument, played as a background instrument in praise of the goddess Shakti Devi. This tradition is found in four main centres of Karnataka, which are associated with mythological stories. This art form was performed by Nagaraj’s forefathers and now his aunt practices it. While the present generation remains largely unaware of Chowdike, Nagaraj grew up surrounded by its sounds and stories, thanks to his family’s enduring dedication to the art. He learnt the Chowdike step by step, first playing it, then its songs, then their compositions, and then playing it and moving with it. He writes and performs for  school children to raise create awareness about the social evils that persist in today’s society . He also performs before the communities who are involved in these evil social practices , using theatre as a powerful medium for reflection and change. His short play further deepens this awareness, inspiring dialogue and transformation.. The Theatre Award will help support his learning of Chowdike, as well as its promotion, furthering his goal of reviving this dying art form.

Revathy Mol A T

Revathy Mol A T is a freelance actor, theatre maker, and facilitator from Kerala, engaging audiences through impactful performances and storytelling. She holds a Master’s in Theatre Arts from the School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur, a B.A. in Philosophy from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, and has completed an intensive Acting course at the National School of Drama, Bengaluru Centre.

During her training, she directed Lalla and has since created numerous performances as a theatre maker. She worked as a full-time actor with Indianostrum Theatre, Pondicherry and with a host of directors including Heisnam Tomba, Dr. Samkutty Pattomkari and more. Her notable acting performances, amongst many others, include Kabui Keoiba, Engale Oche, and Arthasankadam.

Revathy has trained in art forms such as Kalaripayattu, Therukoothu, Yakshagana, Parai, Dollu Kunitha, Mallakhamba, Yoga, Hagaluvesha, Koodiyattam, Oyilattam, Lavani, and Clowning. She has attended workshops by artists from India and abroad, and is one of the founding members of Asuract, the Adivasi-Dalit students’ theatre movement in Kerala. Awarded the Vajrajoobili Fellowship by the Kerala Government, she taught theatre for two years and has facilitated workshops across South India. She acted in the Tamil film 'Rathasaatchi' directed by Rafiq Ismail and has also participated in several theatre festivals.

The history of marginalized communities, often erased from written records, survives in their art. Their songs and performances reflect struggle, injustice, celebration, and creativity. Studying them is a way to understand a marginalized community and engage with their ongoing struggles, which is the central aim of her project. The folk songs sung by Kerala’s marginalized communities in the fields, with their ancient rhythms, are preserved through oral traditions. The project is to immerse in these traditions by visiting fields and workplaces where they continue, and by observing and learning their body rhythms.

Her goal for the year is to work towards training on  three elements; history, folk music, and body movements while carefully documenting all collected material under the mentorship of  renowned artist C. J. Kuttappan who will guide her entire project and also teach folk music.

Rahul Joshi

Rahul Joshi is an actor, clown, and emotional wellness facilitator whose journey from engineering to the arts has been driven by a belief in play, presence, and connection as transformative forces. After earning his engineering degree as a Silver Medalist, Rahul found himself drawn to theatre. He completed a two-year Diploma in Theatre from Raja Mansingh Tomar Music and Arts University, Gwalior, in 2017. Following this, he moved to Delhi for further training, and then to Mumbai in 2021, when he began working with Casting Bay, contributing to over ten projects as a casting professional. He has also appeared in numerous television commercials.

Rahul's journey in clowning began in 2017 with a workshop by HsHs, an Egypt-based clowning group, which opened a door he didn't know he was looking for. This led to the creation of his alter ego, Max Hope. Inspired by a cartoon from Rahul's childhood, Max also stands for "Maximum Hope." He has trained in clowning with Rupesh Tillu (MFA, Physical Comedy, National School of Dramatic Arts, Sweden), Ashwath Bhatt (NSD, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), Caroline Dream, Alex Sternick, Dick Monday, Tiffany Riley, and Manish Ruparel, among others.

Alongside his casting work, Rahul has performed and facilitated clowning workshops across India, bringing emotional wellness through the red nose. He has also performed in hospitals, schools, orphanages, juvenile centres, streets, and shelter homes. He has collaborated with Clowns Without Borders India, working in diverse communities from NGOs to brothel communities. To Rahul, a clown is for the people and with the people, a friend you already know, someone you can hug and feel safe with. Deeply inspired by Russian clown Slava Polunin, he dreams of creating a fantasy-filled clown show where people can forget their worries and rediscover joy.

With the Inlaks Theatre Award, Rahul hopes to deepen his clowning practice under the mentorship of Misha Usov (former Cirque du Soleil performer), Padma Shri Niranjan Goswami (Director, National Mime Institue, Kolkata), and Dr. Barnaby King (founder of Clown Spirit), develop his first solo clown performance, expand his workshop offerings, and build a sustainable career as a clowning artist in India.