Participants of the workshop with Shyamsundar Das (wearing black in folded hands).
A four-day acting workshop recently concluded in Mayapur, marking a significant step in engaging devotees through creative preaching. Organized by Shyamsundar Das of Omnilight Films, it brought together devotees eager to explore dramatic arts as a medium for expressing and sharing Krishna consciousness.
Sharing his inspiration, Shyamsundar Das said his vision was to create a platform in Mayapur where devotees with creative talents could collaborate and serve through art. “Mayapur has a lot of potential, but there is no platform,” he noted, emphasizing the need for a space where creative devotees can express their abilities in Krishna’s service. He highlighted the urgency of offering spiritual alternatives in today’s digital age. “Because of this whole digital revolution, people are engaging themselves in all these different social media platforms,” he observed. Without providing devotional avenues for engagement, young people will naturally drift toward material entertainment.
Each day of the workshop built progressively on acting fundamentals while maintaining spiritual context. Sessions ran three hours daily, from 3 PM to 6 PM, beginning with warm-up exercises and games designed to help participants become fully present both physically and mentally.
Day One introduced participants to the actor’s instrument through icebreakers, mirror exercises where partners mimicked each other’s body language and expressions, and discussions on observation and imagination. The day included improvisation basics and concluded with an assignment to observe real people’s behavior and body language.
Day Two focused on character development and emotional expression. Participants performed their observations from the previous day, then engaged in “Who am I?” exercises to build complete character backgrounds with specific names, ages, habits, and goals. Through card-based activities, they practiced expressing emotional range by delivering simple lines in different moods. Each participant wrote a short five-line dialogue for their created character.
Day Three emphasized scene work and collaboration. Through trust exercises and improvisation games, participants developed listening and reacting skills. Pairs and trios rehearsed scenes using their previously written dialogues, focusing on emotional truth, pacing, and blocking before performing for their peers.
Day Four brought everything together in final performances in front of a camera. After focused rehearsal with directorial feedback on expression, movement, and timing, participants performed short scenes before their peers and invited guests, including senior devotees. The workshop concluded with constructive feedback, individual instructor notes, and reflection on growth and key takeaways.Workshop attendeees practicing the breathing exercise for calmness and focus.Participants doing warm up exercises before each day began.
The workshop featured expert trainers who combined professional skill with spiritual depth. Kamalakshi Rupini, a Bharatanatyam-trained actress from Brazil, led sessions on character work, explaining that an actor must enter into an emotion to portray it sincerely and then withdraw from it without attachment. “This way, we learn not to get attached to any character we are playing, including the one we are playing in this body. It is like many reincarnations in one lifetime,” she reflected, beautifully connecting the art of acting to the philosophy of self-realization.
Egidijus, a teacher at the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy, led modules that included exercises, skill development, and guidance on on-screen performance. He shared that the purpose of acting was not to become an actor but to understand oneself more deeply, which in turn supports one’s journey on the path of bhakti. Chintamani Devi Dasi led calming breathing exercises to help participants center themselves, while Gaura Nitai Das inspired everyone with his expressive acting and heartfelt participation. Professional actor and sound engineer Baldev Nitai Das provided constructive feedback to all participants, offering valuable insights on how they could continue to refine their craft.
His inspiration was strengthened by encouragement from senior devotees, including disciples of Srila Prabhupada, who sent him direct quotes from Srila Prabhupada highlighting his consistent support for the use of dramas and films to spread Krishna consciousness. “Sankarshan Prabhu specifically wrote that Srila Prabhupada would have encouraged Hindi film productions as well, had such opportunities been available in his time,” Shyamsundar said. He added that several senior devotees reminded him how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself participated in dramatic performances during His pastimes—affirming that devotional theatre and creative expression have always been cherished mediums for sharing spiritual wisdom.
While the workshop primarily prepared participants for film work, Shyamsundar Das emphasized that its value extended far beyond acting. “Even if someone is not interested in being in front of the camera, they still benefit from this workshop,” he explained. The process helps devotees step out of their comfort zones, overcome personal limitations, and discover unexplored dimensions of their own personalities.
One participant, Malini Sugopi Devi Dasi, shared her transformative experience: “This four-day acting workshop was really great. For anyone who is interested in acting but is a complete beginner or wants to gain confidence, this workshop is a must. It helped me in so many ways—I discovered aspects of my personality I never knew existed and came out of my little shell under the right guidance.”A trust game establishes cooperation amongst participants.Shyamsundar Das explaininng one of the activities to workshop goers.
Organizing the workshop came with challenges. Finding a suitable venue was the first hurdle, and the limited time made it difficult to cover all modules. Yet, as Shyamsundar Das humbly noted, “Somehow Krishna managed—Krishna helped us complete the workshop without any issues.”
Looking ahead, Shyamsundar Das shared plans for a second workshop in early December and a broader vision to establish a six-month diploma course in acting at Mayapur in collaboration with a recognized university. Future plans also include courses in makeup, hairdressing, singing, 3D animation, and computer graphics, supported by a dedicated facility. The production roadmap will begin with short films and gradually expand to full-length projects aimed at spreading Krishna consciousness through impactful visual storytelling.
Shyamsundar Das emphasized that the vision extends beyond the devotee community, aiming to create meaningful content that introduces Krishna consciousness and Vedic culture to a wider audience. He concluded with a humble appeal for devotees’ blessings and support to collaborate in serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission, noting that even spreading the word would be a valuable contribution.
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