BMI Session 7
The 7th session of BMI was conducted on 17th October 2023, facilitated by Dr. Balakrishnan Venkataraman, the founder and artistic director of Theatre Nisha, a Chennai-based theatre company that has performed over 120 plays. “Acting and Characterisation” was the theme of the session which began with Dr Balakrishnan asking the audience what they thought acting was. He then explained that acting is a craft that involves training to respond to imaginary stimuli to create the perfect illusion in the minds of the audience. Then Dr. Balakrishnan went on to discuss the history of theatre emphasizing the importance of characterization, which is a craft that requires dedication and practice. Actors must develop the niche of understanding their characters’ motivations, thoughts, and feelings to convincingly portray them on screen, he said. The objective of the BMI is to have an ongoing industry connect and expose the student to many societal elements which contributes to the holistic and grounded growth and approach towards work and personal life.