Interview: Vinita Vyas, Film maker, theatre person and author of Reinventing Brand You-The Theater Way
Vinita Vyas. at the book signing of Reinventing Brand You-The Theatre Way.
William Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage�. As we celebrate India’s Independence Day, what does it means to be a free and unique entity to immerse oneself and giving abundant love to the universe. Theatre, acting or writing helps an artist to showcase the various facets of roles, showering love to millions, flitting into different costumes yet staying true to oneself. Mumbai based Vinita Vyas is one such soul wearing different hats in a lifetime but has forayed into a journey which is no less than a magic pill to be one with herself. She has been an inspiration to me, a free giver of love and I am in awe of her unflinching belief of intimate love showered to strangers in this ecosystem we called World. What if our life was a pantomime set to channel our energies and injecting energy into an art form? Vinita is grounded and imbibed with the value taught by her Dad and she is spreading the same to people around her in transforming lives. There is not one role that she restricts herself to. The artist who dabbles into several exciting and creative ventures right from theatre artist, creative director, NLP practitioner and producer has seen the nitty gritty of the corporate world before foraying into her passion, theatre. Being an intrinsic part of Darpan Theatre & Cine Arts, Mumbai, the creative artist often uses theatre as an art form to channel energy and helping participants to turn adversity into strength and overcoming the tide conquering the demons.
The author of ‘Reinventing Brand You-The Theatre Way’ reminds us that we are actors on this huge set design called ‘Life’ where impressions are formed every nanosecond. Be the spectator and the actor! Vinita’s Brand You is about the self-image, visual image and perceived image. In a chat with Vinita, I bring to you her achievements as an artist, theatre person and now author to celebrate a woman who sparkles, a unique individual for Independence also means setting the soul free and breaking the mold of a defined image. It’s about the love for plain strangers, giving freely, theatre as an art form and of course, Vinita’s book, Reinventing Brand You-The Theater way where she offers an insight into its making. Sit back and enjoy this transformative journey.
Artist and creator of Brand You, Vinita Vyas.
Vinita Vyas is a brand. What has gone into the creation of this brand right from business solutions, actor, creative director, producer, NLP and now writer?
The passionate purpose which guides me emanate from the words of my father, “Beta, Stay rooted with ‘beyond skies’ being your limit�.
I have always believed in adhering to the personal values in every role donned. My journey keeps verging from one character to the other, however, the core values that I choose to live by remain the same. I have always been fascinated by the vividness of this stage called Life and how different people play their respective roles on and off the stage. And my constant calling has always been towards the purpose of a life enshrined in expressing myself and helping people, my fellow travelers to express themselves totally. It’s the values-driven passionate purpose that made me who I am through my journey so far.
People buy People First, Feel Fully…Express Totally and of course Brand you-The Theater Way. How has this ‘intimate journey’ transformed your life as an individual and was it the true calling for you in reaching out to fellow humans?
Vishal, I can say that this journey has made me more humane, helping to reach within and know myself better as an entity. I was able to pull out the untold stories from my life and that’s what drives me to inspire my fellow travelers in telling their stories.
Reinventing Brand you-The Theater Way is about the self-image, visual image and perceived image. How can the real person come alive through the stage character and artists calling the shots in this vibrant adventure that can make or break us?
In my book Reinventing Brand You – The Theatre Way, I spoke about the practical techniques that actors use to bring life into a character. The techniques empower and touch the commoners to practice and build their brand value in a creative way.
The book appears seemingly to be a mantra in self-development while tapping the inner potential which is often hidden or laden with emotions and challenges at the same time. Was theatre and acting your inner calling as emboldened in your book to transforms lives?
Yes, certainly, it does. For me, the most important learning curve during live theatre is simple and the mantra is to be an actor both on and off stage. One has to be a genuine human being first. It’s a simple mantra: Only by being true to understanding and acknowledging the emotions and challenges the character goes through then only I can find myself in this space of self-awareness and it’s where self-improvisations crop in. Isn’t it?
Lights! Camera! Action! Director Vinita call the shots!
You have spoken about your favourite Amitji, Mr. Amitabh Bachhchan the country’s biggest superstar who has reinvented and redefined himself beyond the traditional superstar to break an established image. Behavioral congruency in verbal, visual and vocal, how does it help when you say jo dikhta hai wohi bikhta hai as the individual’s USP in terms of core values one stands up for?
Credibility is lent only to One’s visual image ideally when it is based on self-image. What I mean is to be exactly who you truly are and anything becomes believable only when expressed genuinely and in a clear, articulate fashion. Your thoughts and feelings when manifested through the physical and vocal presence make you more of an in-charge of who you are as ‘Brand You.’
You boast of an incredible achievement of 13 plus years in the corporate world and cinema. Would you say the techniques applied to weather storms in both your personal and professional life has led you to successfully grow into the refined person that you have become?
Being refined (if world assumes me to be) is a process and not a destination/product…so still refining. Multitude of experiences at every step taken are echoed in my life’s journey which helped me to nurture the personal thought process and gave me newer pathways to navigate my ‘self’ on the roads in life. To share an experience, theatre taught me the highest levels of flexibility and its applicability in emotional wisdom.
The warrior weaving stories to a rapt audience.
You are also an associate director for the Hindi film, Take it Easy, Executive director, AD for film projects, staging 18 full-length drama and 5 short plays. How has the journey of foraying into entertainment, theatre or acting started and what does finding expression into the fine arts means to you or the way it has molded Vinita the artist?
The journey unfolded during the college days while directing my first Hindi play for an inter-college drama competition. However, the tryst with destiny was fuelled into my blood before I was born. My father along with his elder brother founded a local community theatre club, “Krishna Club� to stage mythological dramas such as “Ramleela� and the likes. My brother, Sunil Prem Vyas who is an award-winning filmmaker carried forward this legacy by founding Darpan Theatre & Cine Arts, Mumbai, which eventually I became a part of.
Expression into fine arts and particularly acting satiates the soul endlessly to lead a life filled with fulfillment. Acting has defined me to live many lives and showcase multiple emotions in one life to make it an enriching experience which I enjoy to the hilt as an artist.
You have also conducted a series of behavioral skills workshop and some of your interesting articles posted on Linkedin discuss theatre sports, using stage as a pro or adding a little drama to the coaching journey which makes for kick-ass ways. Can you share the way in which participants look at the workshop journey and methods employed to help overcome hesitation or ingrained fear to slay the inner demons like they say?
The most common reaction garnered from participants is that the “Expressive Arts Inspired� workshops are super fun and full of self re-realizations for them. Arts give the participants a different lens to perceive the same situation and serve as an enabler to-many-a-times live an experience they may have to in future. Experiences fleshed in a controlled environment act as “net practice� for them to be trained for the final game. We resort to various techniques through mediums of theatre sports as warm-up games, Improvisational theatre games like icebreakers, forum theatre, visual arts, storytelling, narrative psychology, pantomime, and many to help participants get comfortable under their skin and have deeper transformational experiences.
You have also offered consultancy services to several leading brands such as PwC, Bharti Airtel Ltd, Vodafone India, Virgin Mobile India, Maruti Suzuki and Network 18. What are the takeaways that one can learn at the individual capacity from the corporate and challenges faced that you tried to inject in say, theatre or personal coaching?
In my book, the dire need for “Emotional Wisdom and “Branding Oneself� are very crucial in today’s ever-changing business environment.
In today’s time, what are the challenges theatre actors or production companies’ face and the ways in which this art form can be encouraged and given dignity or sheen to attract young talents?
The challenges revolve around arranging finances for productions especially when you don’t have a godfather in the industry. And, yes, I would always encourage budding young talents to leap ahead and trudge to build or actively participate in community theatre.
I have followed you on Facebook and regularly see how you freely share about life, love and intimacy which make you a free giver of emotions. What makes you so free and limitless in giving love, often intimacy spreading out to plain strangers and how you open your heart out so easily?
My belief is very simple, Vishal. I am a deeply involved, engaged soul sharing love in abundance with millions. I don’t know whether they reciprocate or not. It’s beyond me to know whether they like me or not, but have a fabulous love with just about everyone that I see and cannot see because for me, love is not about them. Love is about how I am within myself…….it is a sense of oneness with this universe.
As a parting shot, what message you would like to readers after the publication of your book, Reinventing Brand You and what went into its making?
I would like each and every reader not let anyone else hold the pen as they weave their unique story of “Brand You.�
Knowing who you truly are in each role essayed on this stage called life is the stepping stone to designing, “Brand You.� Like they say, “jo dikhta hai, woh hi bikta hai�, I am inviting my readers to most genuinely feel the values they believe in for every role and portray the same in everyday behaviour. It’s the secret garden of a fulfilling life.
What went into the making of “Brand You� is tracking my own personal growth and life as a coach to myself and pen the very essence of more 12 to 15 years of a professional cum personal life.
