Jury Members
Bruce Guthrie
Bruce Guthrie is the Head of Theatre and Films at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai. An award-winning theatre director and producer, his work has been staged at leading theatre festivals in London’s West End and New York City. He has played a pivotal role in creating and developing key initiatives such as Connections India, Backstage Pass, and The Art of the Possible, extending support to emerging talent and theatre education at the NCPA. Guthrie is also the founder of Darpan, a new writing initiative for the Marathi Theatre Festival, 'Pratibimb,' which is now in its third year. In December 2024, he played a pivotal role in NCPA’s first-ever collaboration with META, bringing together four former META winners to launch the celebrations for the 20th META.
Guthrie's horizons extend over theatre in the form of large-scale concerts and events. He has directed performances for the 70th birthday celebration for HRH The Prince of Wales and the Welsh Guards Centenary Celebration for the Welsh Guards Charity. He has also served as Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre of Wales and is a member of the advisory board of the Guildford School of Acting. His work continues to foster international collaborations, champion new writing, and advance theatre as a vital and accessible art form.
Dadi Pudumjee
Dadi Pudumjee is the Director of Ishara Puppet Theatre, Delhi since 1986 and the Managing trustee and Artistic director of The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust. He served as the President of the Union Internationale de la Marionette (UNIMA) from 2008 to 2021 and was conferred President Emeritus, UNIMA in the same year. Pudumjee started puppetry as a hobby in his place of birth, Pune and has been a professional since 1976. For his contribution to Puppet theatre, Pudumjee has been conferred with prestigious awards such as the Padma Shri in 2011, the Sangeet Natak Academy National award in 1993, the Sanskriti Pratisthan award and many more. He has curated a plethora of puppet shows and exhibitions around the country in many prestigious institutes like Sangeet Natak Akademi, NID, IGNCA, etc. Pudumjee and the Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust have performed, presented papers and conducted workshops in countries like Japan, Australia, Indonesia, China, Russia, USA, UK and many more. Along with a flourishing professional career in puppeteering, he is also the Director and project head of the UNESCO-EU project on HIV-AIDS and substance abuse with the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), Delhi. With SBT, Pudumjee has been using puppetry to spread HIV and substance abuse awareness programs in schools, communities, NGOs, etc in cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Dehradun.
Lillete Dubey
Lillete Dubey is a renowned and award winning Indian film, television and stage actor, producer and a theatre director. Dubey has been the Artistic Director of her own theatre company, ‘The Primetime Theatre Company’, for over 34 years, directing 36 plays for the company so far. Her theatrical work has travelled all over the globe and has gained much acclaim everywhere; pioneering the platforming of original Indian writing in English, showcasing work by some of India's most outstanding playwrights. Her award winning production, Dance Like a Man, has completed nearly 700 shows worldwide and is the longest running Indian English play. Dubey has performed in over 75 films, television and OTT shows nationally and internationally, some of which include Monsoon Wedding, Gadar, Baghban, Zubeida, Indian Summers, and many more; she has acted in over 50 plays, winning multiple Best Actress awards. She has been a jury member of several theatre and film competitions, has curated the theatre section of the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, and is also a trustee of Ms Protima Bedi's dance village, ‘Nrityagram’.
Sudhir Mishra
Sudhir Mishra is an Indian film director and screenwriter who has been working in the Hindi film industry for over 30 years. He is known for his gritty and realistic films that often deal with social and political issues. Some of his most acclaimed films include Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Dharavi (1992), Chameli (2003), Serious Men (2020) and Afwaah (2023). Mishra has been conferred numerous awards for his work, including National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award. He began his career as a co-writer of a biting satire Jane Bhi Do Yaaro, one of the most loved comedies in Indian film history, and his directorial career with Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin, a sharp political look at the corruption and the thuggery of Indian politics in its time, a recurring theme in his works which often mirror the society they hail from. Mishra’s films are often laced with sharp wit and irony, something which makes his films stand out amongst the Indian audience. He is also credited for starting a modern thriller trend in Indian cinema with his film Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahi, after which many similar films were made.
Sunit Tandon
Sunit Tandon is the President of the Delhi Music Society and was till recently Director of the India Habitat Centre. Former positions include Director-General of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC); Chief Executive of the Lok Sabha Television Channel (LSTV); Festival Director, International Film Festival of India (IFFI, Goa); General Manager, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), amongst others. A prominent face on Indian television as a news anchor on Doordarshan and LSTV from the late-80s onwards, he was also a radio broadcaster. He continues to be a theatre actor, sound designer, director and enthusiast, having acted in about 250 productions and directed about 30, including plays by William Shakespeare, Jean Racine, George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward, Neil Simon, Tom Stoppard, Gurcharan Das and Nicholas Kharkongor. He has also done the stage direction of 3 Western Classical Opera productions. Recently, he has acted in a few feature films as well, including Dil Bechara and Bell Bottom.