Varoon P. Anand

Varoon P. Anand is a theatre director, facilitator and performer with a diverse background in theatre, journalism, and community advocacy known for his expertise in applied improvisation. Drawing from his extensive experience as the founder and Artistic Director of Kaivalya Plays, Varoon has pioneered the use of applied improvisation for mental health and language learning. His innovative approach utilizes improvisational theatre and drama techniques to foster intellectual risk-taking, collaborative practices, and personal growth within participants. He has also successfully staged productions in multiple languages, conducted research on performer safety, and established India's first theatre management fellowship. His theatre credits include Mining Hate (2023), supported by the EU Mediafutures initiative, Mukta La Piadosa (2019), supported by the Instituto Cervantes Nueva Delhi and Unravel (2018), supported by Goethe Institut India. He has recently received the Arts for Good Fellowship by Singapore International Foundation. Until recently, he was also the Spanish voice for the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s monthly citizen broadcast Mann Ki Baat.