Nitin Bajaj

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the industry show. I’m your host, Nitin Bajaj, and joining me today is Vinita Belani. Vinita, welcome on the show.

Vinita Belani

Thank you so much for having me, Nitin. It’s such an honor and such a pleasure.

Nitin Bajaj

Oh, the pleasure is all ours. So let’s start with who is Vinita.

Vinita Belani

Oh, boy. Okay. Benita is a computer scientist who makes theater, and in some words, that makes perfect sense. Benita is also a nomad. I’ve lived in 9 different countries across 4 continents, and I speak 7 languages from some of those continents. Vanita is a mom and a grandmom, very proudly so. And and Vanita is somebody who likes to live life a little maximum.

Nitin Bajaj

I love every single one of them, and hopefully, we’ll get to peel at least a few of those in this conversation. So let’s start with what is an act. Tell us a little more about why you started it. What’s the mission? What’s the vision? And I would also love to get a sense for the impact you’ve been able to create because of that.

Vinita Belani

Mhmm. So EnActeis a theater company that’s collocated in Silicon Valley and in Houston mostly because the founder, Yanikimme, is collocated in both these locations, and so I am operating where I live, where I currently live. In act, our mission our stated mission is to embrace eastern and western methodologies of storytelling and create a contemporary culture of storytelling that puts South Asia into the global context. Mhmm. So we are essentially an all American theater company that focuses on the South Asian viewpoint with respect to the rest of the world. Our our vision really is to bring, firstly, all the richness of the 5, 6 millennia of of South Asian culture into American and and, of course, global parlance and understanding, but also to draw from it in order to create collaborations with other cultures and see what we can create in terms of culture and understanding in this moment. Mhmm. Yeah. So that’s that’s the big vision.

Nitin Bajaj

It sounds very interesting, very fascinating because as you said, you know, it’s 6 millennia of history, culture, ethos. And then as you as you transition through time, there’s also this mix of we are here now. And what does that mean? And, you know, things around us have changed. Life has changed. So you live in in a very interesting world, and, obviously, you are a very interesting person. And I don’t know which came because of what, but we’ll leave that for another day.

Vinita Belani

Let me tell you a little bit about the impact about of EnActebecause you asked that part of the question and I didn’t answer it. I think the impact of EnActe, of course, like EnActehas been growing year on year, you know, within the community, within the community that we actually live in, within 50 miles of where we are. The the notion of an act as a theater company has been growing, and we have been very privileged to collaborate with much larger theater companies that are trying to present South Asian stories or South Asian viewpoints. And I think one of the reasons is because collaboration is is a huge part of our DNA. You know? I I always think that 1 and 1, if done correctly, will give us 11 instead of 2. And and especially in theater, leveraging your resources creates a a a lot bigger impact. So we are not only just a theater company that produces and presents South Asian content or South Asian flavored content, but we are also now very quickly becoming the theater company that other theater companies, much larger theater companies go to when they want to present South Asian content and they want to bring in an expert to say, let’s do this right, which is very much a post, you know, me too, black lives matter, immigration, let’s focus on DEI kind of result. But for me, just a fascinating, joyful result that people are actually now wanting to do it right, you know, in the sense that no mainstream theater company is now presenting a story about South South Asia or South Asian that is directed by a white person. They’re looking for for South Asian directors. And that’s what we were aiming for in this the the 10, almost 11 years that we’ve been in existence is to establish that. And I’m really happy to say that we found ourselves in the place now where people say, let’s ask and act. So that’s our big impact.

Nitin Bajaj

That’s wonderful. Beautiful. And congratulations. And, you know, you said it in in small words, I would say, but that’s a huge thing to do it right and not to just kinda think about the whole South Asian community as that stereotypical, you know, nerdy kid, dark skinned, doing whatever engineering or or medical or or what have you, which is what it has been in the past. So thank you for correcting that and fixing that for all of us. Now

Vinita Belani

I’m not single handedly responsible, but I’m I’m liking the way the world is moving on that front.

Nitin Bajaj

Yeah. You you have a you know, and and I’m sure this will come up. There are some small companies that are starting to work with you. So I’m pretty excited about that and for you to share that. But before we go there, as you transition and help transition the narrative around our community, What’s the one big challenge you’re facing?

Vinita Belani

You know, it’s this is really mundane. The challenge is always money when you’re running a nonprofit.

Nitin Bajaj

Yes, sir.

Vinita Belani

The big challenge is always money. And, yeah, we it’s it’s just hard to find a challenge that is bigger than money. The problem that we are trying to solve for is not just to present in stories and and our culture and our, you know, ourselves as part of of of a global narrative, but also to to create a generation now and then the next generation of talented actors, writers, directors, producers who come from South Asian roots to take their rightful place, say, you know, on the American stage. Because there’s been a chicken and egg when if and when opportunities have arisen, there haven’t been enough talented people in the pool for the opportunities to either materialize or to grow even if they do materialize. So to break that vicious cycle has been very much a part of our efforts, and and that is the challenge that we’re trying to solve for. But the problem we face most often is funding, and it hasn’t been a huge issue for an act over 10 years because, you know, people have recognized the value of the work. This year, it has actually been a challenge because funding for theater all over the world is drying up, and we are as much victim as the next theater company, unfortunately.

Nitin Bajaj

Yeah. It is it’s an amazing medium. It’s the the value it brings to be there in the moment, to be alive is unparalleled. But at the same time, as you said, you know, it’s also not ingrained in our culture as of today. We Yeah. Are looking for instant gratification. We need everything on our phones and in close proximity. So

Vinita Belani

You know the other thing that Yeah. The other, sorry. I’m interrupting you. No. No. The other thing that’s not in our culture is to give to organizations that don’t have to to give to nonprofits that, a, operate in America because so much of our money goes back to much needier causes back home, and, b, to give to an organization whose whose perceived value in the community is so touchy feely. You know? It’s not quantifiable. But the truth of the matter is that the work that we do is you know, somebody said it very well in COVID that art is medicine for the soul. Right? And and if if we as a community cannot nourish and propagate our soul, then we as a community will have a hard time surviving and building a night, a a concatenated identity. Yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

I agree. And, you know, through this art is also what we are transmitting is education, not just to our own, but to others as to how to perceive us, how to value us. So I think it gets a little lost in the translation. And also, I think as you rightly said, yes, there are other causes that are maybe critical, but this is equally important. And it needs to be talked about, needs to be highlighted, and needs to be supported equally, if not less, if not more. So let’s talk about the flip side of challenges. I would love to hear what’s the most exciting opportunity you are looking at.

Vinita Belani

Can I talk about a couple? Please. We have one opportunity that is actually materializing and will explode in in 4 or 5 weeks. We are co presenting the Broadway production of the kite runner at Hammer Theatre in San Jose, which is a beautiful story because everybody knows the Kite Runner, and the novelist lives in San Jose. The playwright of the production lives in San Jose. The music composer is from Fremont, you know, here in California. And the play was developed in Hammer Theatre, and it first opened to the world at Hammer Theatre. So this is making history.

Nitin Bajaj

Mhmm.

Vinita Belani

So this is our our present excitement. I’ll tell you one past and one future. I just finished directing a play for a company called Perseverance Theater in Alaska, and they are one of the largest, oldest regional theaters in America. And they were doing a play by a South Asian playwright about a South Asian family, and they went looking for a South Asian director. And and for me, I’m grateful that they chose me, but I’m fundamentally grateful that they went looking for a South Asian director to direct a South Asian piece. And then said to me, do it with as much cultural authenticity as you possibly can.

Nitin Bajaj

Yes.

Vinita Belani

My response course, was, okay. Bring it on. I’m you’re not going. Everything from the Ganesha idol to big Bollywood wedding with fat jaimalas. You know? The show had it all. It’s called A Nice Indian Boy by Madhuri Shekhar. I think the most exciting opportunity that is coming up for EnActe, the it’s just this opening up of dialogue with so many theater companies. There is a playful Bucks County Playhouse in in New York that we are now collaborating with. They’ve ran a South Asian South Asian content playwriting competition and the top three plays that have have now been picked and that they’re they’re going into production, and EnActeis, you know, is their collaborator, and I get to go direct one of the plays in the development read. And then EnActegets its pick of what play they want to produce from the 3 that have, you know, the won the top three slots in, in the competition. And Rajiv Joseph, who was, you know, the darling of Broadway, is the curator of this this competition, and he gets to direct one play. And, and I get to direct one. So for me, it’s very satisfying as an artist to be able to do that, but I think also the fact that a very traditionally western constructed theater company in upstate New York decided to do this and is realizing the value of reaching out to certain communities and saying, you know, we recognize that your voice is a little different and that it must be heard. And and I get to be part of that process, and I hope it happens over and over again.

Nitin Bajaj

Congratulations. Very well deserved. And, yes, I agree with you. It needs to happen more. And I do believe with you leading this, it will. So really happy.

Vinita Belani

Well, I’m glad somebody has faith in me. Sometimes I I, you know, my faith in myself rocks a little bit. It just goes I

Nitin Bajaj

know. I I see no reason why that should be the case. But I’ll

Vinita Belani

I’ll tell you why. Because, you know, it some people think that this is a very glamorous job. It is the hardest job I have done in my life, and I’ve done some tough ones, you know, try bringing up kids when you’re moving every other year from Indonesia to Nigeria or you know? Yeah. I’ve done some strange things in life, but this is this is hard because it’s 647 minuteor problems that you have to solve in a day and maybe 10 major problems. And the number of problems just never decreases. You know? And there’s just never enough money to solve them in the way that they should be solved. So, yeah, they say theater is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration like most other creative things.

Nitin Bajaj

And with And

Vinita Belani

with all the the people, you know, all the drama between the people. What you see on stage is probably 10% drama that you see that you don’t get to see. But it’s very fulfilling, very satisfying, very fulfilling. Good. Yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

I can imagine that. Otherwise, someone like you who could have done so many other things wouldn’t stick around to do this. Again, thank you for doing what you do. It’s extremely important, and we really appreciate it.

Vinita Belani

Oh, thank you.

Nitin Bajaj

Now let’s as we look forward on what’s to come, let’s take a moment and look back in the rear view mirror. And I would love for you to share 2 moments. 1, where things did not work out as you had expected. It became a failure when there was maybe a lesson that was learned. And another one that blew your expectations became a success beyond your imagination.

Vinita Belani

Can I reverse the order? Can I talk about the the big one first? So so this is actually the story of how EnActewas started, and I still haven’t been able to match up to that first big beginning. So I was living in Paris. I was working in technology consulting with Capgemini. I was a senior vice president working on small and medium business, you know, technology solutions for small and medium businesses, traveling around Europe. And I went to to dinner at a friend’s house, and I met this gentleman called Jean Claude Carrier, a longtime theater making partner of Peter Brook. And and for people who don’t know him, he is the playwright who wrote the Mahabharat, which Peter Brook directed, which became the seminal moment in theatrical history in the eighties, and, you know, it came to Bam in New York. I mean, it just it was a 9 hour play. Yeah. It was the first time a Westerner had actually taken the time, 11 years to be precise, to study the Mahabharata and write it in a format that Western people could understand and appreciate, you know, dissociating it from all the cultural moorings that make it so hard to to understand. So he’s iconic, this person, and I couldn’t believe I was sitting next to him at the a friend’s house having dinner. And I very jokingly said to him, I said, you know, it’s been 20 years since the Mahabharat was done. We should do it again. And he said, we should absolutely do it. Do you have a theater company? And I said, no. No. But if you want to do it, I’ll start a theater company. I mean, I have I have a theater background on the side. So I wasn’t entirely joking. And there was a lot of And then that night, I couldn’t sleep. And the next morning, I called my friend, and I said, give me Jean Claude’s phone number. And I talked to him. And to cut a long story short, over a couple of lunches, we decided that he was actually going to do a one man version of the Mahabharat as a lead up to maybe bringing the show back. Mhmm. So I quit my job. I started the theater company. We brought Jean Claude to America where I started the theater company. And for a year and a half, we just toured America with a a show called the Modern Vyasa in which a Frenchman told the story of the Mahabharata in English to American audience. That’s

Nitin Bajaj

so cool.

Vinita Belani

And the first show opened at the Menil collection in the foyer, and the program director had put out a 100 chairs and said, I think that will be enough. And they sold 300 it was by RSVP because it was a free program. They sold 300 tickets, so they had to add more chairs, more shows. And that’s how it went on. At the end of the year and a half, Jean Claude Carreier was given an Oscar for lifetime achievement in script writing for film, and he invited me to go along. So, you know, I started a theater company and ended up at the Oscars with a lifetime scriptwriter. Who who can imagine that? I’ve never been able to replicate that kind of success in the 10 years that followed. But it did ratify my faith in good things happen. You just have to work for it. You know? Yeah. Now for a spectacular failure, we did a play on the partition, which was an incredible play Nitin, you know, beautifully written. Every show was sold out. It was a 2 hour play. People cried their guts out. It was, you know everything was beautiful about that play. I just hadn’t gotten my contract straight because I had operated on trust because I it was a nonprofit making art, and you tend to trust people implicitly that way. And and there were 2 playwrights, and one of the playwrights said, no. The play is all mine, and and you can’t it it just got really messy in terms of who owned the play. And so what was supposed to do be a multi city run and many shows, you know, we had to close after 4 shows because we ran into issues about who actually owns the play. It was commissioned by us and it was paid for by us, but I hadn’t got my contract straight. I I was still learning the business. So now I do contracts even with people I trust. With Jean Claude, I didn’t have a single contract. Nothing on paper. It It was just our conversation, and and it worked. Sometimes it doesn’t work.

Nitin Bajaj We live and learn.

Vinita Belani

We live and learn. Yes. It was a huge learning in in that no matter how much you trust somebody, your first conversation has to be about roles, responsibilities, and an MOU or a contract needs to go into place. Otherwise, the project doesn’t move forward. Yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

Well, first off, thank you for being open and transparent about that. This is these moments are not very, I guess, they challenge us in many ways. So thank you for being open and vulnerable so others can learn from this and hopefully not make the same mistakes. So I really appreciate you sharing that. Now onto better things. What do you do for fun? I mean, you live in a very fun world, so I I would love to hear what’s your distress and what’s your go to when you have to kick things back and just enjoy.

Vinita Belani

You know, my husband tells people, Vinita reads instead of sleeping. She doesn’t need sleep. She needs read. So I read a lot of books. My Kindle told me I read a 124 books last year. That was just on the Kindle. So I’m a voracious reader, and that is my okay. I can just get rid of my world and go into someone else’s world. So that is fun number 1 on a daily basis. Fun number 2 is I’m a grandmother now, so I get to spend time with the grandchildren. It is the best club in the world to belong to. Everybody should aspire to belong to this club. When you’re with your grandchildren, nothing else matters. That is definitely fun. Yeah. I like to go dancing with friends. That’s a lot of fun. I I have fun at work when I’m in the creative process, you know, when people come together. If you think about it, theater is the only art that you cannot make solo. You know, you can paint for yourself. You can dance for yourself. You can sing for yourself. But theater by definition, you are performing for someone.

Nitin Bajaj

So there

Vinita Belani

have to be 2 people in the room. It’s what you said earlier about theater. It’s immediate. There’s a connection. There’s human energy that floats around whatever it is that you’re doing. And the rush that you get from that and the amount of human insight that you get from that, you know, it’s it’s a very heavy drug. So, yes, I am now in my 3rd career, and this career is you know, part of it is definitely fun.

Nitin Bajaj

Yeah. As you said, it’s the most challenging, but I would imagine the most fulfilling at the same time.

Vinita Belani

I think that’s why people get crazy and do theater. Theater, you know, as a business makes zero sense. I mean, you know, if a VC were to look at our books, they would say, are you crazy? And I would have to say, yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

And you do live around a bunch of them, so you’re in the

Vinita Belani

craziness. I mean, the flip side of it is that, you know, a lot of people who who are in the tech world and who see me either as a as a abdicated technologist or a failed technologist aren’t terribly impressed by my career at all, my new career. But, you know, each to his own. Right? So

Nitin Bajaj

I live vicariously through you. So you get to do all of those fun stuff, be creative, create your own dream and space.

Vinita Belani

So 1%. The rest of it is just

Nitin Bajaj

You did that. I I couldn’t handle it.

Vinita Belani

I’m I’m I mean, look at what you’re doing now. I couldn’t handle that. Oh. So yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

On to my favorite part of the show. We call it the one line life lessons. We’d love to hear your one line life lessons.

Vinita Belani

My one line life lesson. My one line life lesson is the only way to learn is to do something you have no idea how to do, And that’s the best way to learn. Yeah. It it requires a little bit of faith in yourself, but I think everybody needs to inculcate that faith in themselves and say, oh, I’m gonna do this. I have no idea how I’m gonna do this, but I’ll learn. That’s how you get on to 3rd careers and learn to do contracts. Yeah. My I think my big other one liner would be learn to love what other people are about. You know? Because I’ve been very privileged. I’ve like I said, I lived in 9 different countries across 4 different continents. You know? The only continent I haven’t lived in is Australia. And and I’ve moved into homes in fairly challenging challenging situations. And I have found love and support and camaraderie in the most fascinating of places. You just have to be hope to seeing good rather than thinking about negative. I I was going to say, and this is gonna sound a little braggy, but I’m going to give myself the right to to say this. I have a friend who who’s a budding playwright, and and I’ve been very supportive. And we’ve done some of their work. And she tells me that my superpower is finding the power in other people and enabling it. And I consider that a privilege. So yeah.

Nitin Bajaj

That’s beautiful. And I can see that. I agree with her. So, Vinita, thank you so much for making the time to be with us, to share your journey and story. And for more importantly, being you and helping bring this important work to life. As you said, theater is not easy, but it’s extremely important. And thanks for setting the context, driving us in the right direction, for bringing our voice, for bringing our culture to the fore and into the mainstream. Really happy and excited about what’s coming next with Broadway and with many other partnerships that you have in play. And we’d love to bring you back on and talk about more of your successes here in the near future.

Vinita Belani

Inshallah, as they say, thank you so much for having me, Nitin, for deeming me worthy of being on this very exalted show and and for a potential invitation back. I’ll have to work very hard to earn that next spot, but I would rather make it happen.

Nitin Bajaj

You’re so kind, so humble. I love what you do, and it’d be our pleasure to have you back on. Thank you so much.

Vinita Belani

Thank you, Nitin. Thank you for the opportunity.