YouthArts Mentorship
Theatre Mentorship
Mentors
Mohit Agarwal
Mohit Agarwal is a director, actor and a musician based in Mumbai, India. Mohit, who has been practicing theatre for the past 10 years, received his training from the National School of Drama, Barry John's Acting Academy and Anupam Kher's Actor Prepares. In his dynamic career, Mohit has performed in over 25 plays, and directed over 3 plays and 25 music videos.
Recently, he directed a musical dastangoi based on Ameer Khusro, which premiered at the Prithvi Theatre Festival, 2019. The musical play marked its success with performances at renowned cultural festivals, including Jashn-e-Rekhta in Delhi and the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa. Moreover, his second film ‘Agra’ premiered at Cannes, captivated audiences in Busan, and won the Best Actor in both New York and Melbourne.
Karan Khurana
Karan Veer Khurana is a stand-up comedian, actor and improviser. He has performed across Europe, including with the National Theatre, London and Prague Shakespeare Company. Now based in Mumbai, he has performed with The Company Theatre at Prithvi. He also regularly performs stand up with unique musical and clowning related acts.
Photography Mentorship
Mentor
Aslam Saiyad
Aslam Saiyad is a social documentary photographer and educator from Mumbai who addresses environmental and community issues through his work. He lectures in mass media and communication at St. Xavier's College and Ecole French Design Institute, bringing academic depth from his master's degrees in Environmental Science and Anthropology.
He mentors photographers at Canon Training Center and curates street exhibitions like the "Mumbai Rivers Photo Project" and "The Last Bhistis of Mumbai," critically examining urban development's impact on Mumbai's environment and communities. As co-founder of walk tour company Hallu Hallu, he amplifies indigenous voices and fosters understanding of the complex relationship between urban growth, environmental degradation, and local livelihoods in Mumbai.
Rap & Music Mentorship
Mentors
Saniya MQ
Saniya Mistri Kaiyumuddin, popularly known as Saniya MQ, is a powerful rapper, poet, and storyteller emerging from the streets of Mumbai. She began her artistic journey in 8th standard and launched her YouTube channel in 2021 at just 16 years old, capturing hearts with her fearless expression and socially conscious lyrics.
Her work has been featured by BBC, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, India Today, and Rolling Stone, establishing her as one of India's most impactful young hip-hop voices. She has a loyal community of over 80,000+ Instagram followers and 18,000+ YouTube subscribers, recently appearing on Jio Hotstar's "Hafta Wasooli" hosted by Munawar Faruqui in a special Women’s Day episode. Her track, “Ek Hi Baat Hai,” was released under the banner of Tiger Baby Records.
Danish
Danish is a rapper, beatboxer, singer, shaayar/poet based out of Bombay70 Kurla West who started his journey with beatbox in 2011. He later joined a sufi hip hop band, developing skills in classical and sufi music.
In 2024, Danish was top 10 on MTV Hustle, an Indian hiphop reality show. He has worked for Qyuki, founded byShekhar Kapur, A.R. Rahman, and Samir Bangara. Danish has opened for notable artists like Kailash Kher, Akshith Aacharya, MC Altaf and KAAM BHARI. He has collaborated with BOBKAT, pioneer of Indian Reggae Hip-Hop, and worked with Major C. In 2023, Danish mentored aspiring rap artists for Govandi Arts Festival, helping create Code 43 - a rap group from Govandi, alongside DRJ Sohail and Tash. In the same year, he signed with TM Music, released an EP and singles, and is now working on multiple independent and mainstream projects.
Mateen Ansari
Mateen Ansari, popularly known as Ansari, has been into rap since 2020. Starting by listening to underground artists, he developed a passion for hip-hop and began recording YouTube covers of commercial songs. After a year of experimenting and learning, he created his own YouTube channel and started sharing original songs written, recorded, and performed by him. His first song, ‘Sukoon’, resonated deeply with audiences and earned family support, opening many doors and the chance to perform and judge at college events, which boosted his confidence.
He is also a part of CodeFourtyThree - a rap group from Govandi which emerged during the Govandi Arts Festival in 2023, under the guidance of Danish, DRJ Sohail, and Tash. Together, they have done many shows and written songs focused on the youth of Govandi.
Public Art Mentorship
Mentors
Sanskar Sawant
Sanskar Sawant aka Chew’d Perfect is an illustrator and installation artist based in Mumbai, and the founder of Homework Studio, an environmental art and design studio focused on creating spatial experiences. At Homework Studio, they are dedicated to making an impact through public art and installations, collaborating with brands and festivals to bring fresh, immersive ideas to life.
He is constantly looking for ways to bridge the gap between visual art and everything that’s beautiful. He often finds inspiration in the most unexpected places—whether it’s street graffiti, hypecourts, or transforming the pavement into a canvas. From creating permanent body art (tattoos) to getting his hands dirty with all sorts of artistic experiments, he believes in keeping his creative flow alive by diving into everything that fuels his passion.
Khyati Patkar
Khyati is an art director and printmaker who explores the space between analog and digital. She is eager to develop thoughtful brand identities, illustrations, and spend time in the studio pulling prints by hand.
She works with Dirty Hands Co., a print club initiative that brings screen printing to the people through workshops, artist collaborations, live printing sessions, and exhibitions.
Khyati is drawn to projects that feel personal, tactile, and a little rough around the edges, work that embraces process and imperfections. She sees design as a form of translation: a way to turn abstract ideas into tangible things that can be held, shared, or stuck on a wall.
Filmmaking Mentorship with Nazaria
Nazaria Arts Collective is a Mumbai-based grassroots organisation that equips marginalised youth and women in India with high-quality multimedia arts training and social justice education so they can unleash their creative potential, amplify their voices, and pursue careers in the creative industry.
Mentors
Sapan Taneja
Sapan is a filmmaker and writer based in Bombay, working across documentary, fiction, and experimental formats including 8mm and 16mm film. He is a founding member of Nazaria Arts Collective and leads participatory storytelling labs like Reimagine and Khoj. He is currently developing community-rooted films with support from Docustan and the Writers Ink Lab, and was selected for the 2025 Nazaara Media Lab Fellowship at the Flaherty Film Seminar.
Nikita Parekh
Nikita has worked with children for many years, traveling to classrooms across the country while working with Teach for India. During her Masters' degree in Education at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, she started researching and using participatory media with teenagers. As a filmmaker, she is driven by creating understanding, empathy and change.
Suraj Katra
Suraj Katra is a social documentarian and communications professional working at the intersection of storytelling, advocacy, and community-driven media.
Rohini Maiti
Rohini is an anti-disciplinary artist working with installation, media, and community projects. Her art explores how people learn, change, and connect. She is interested in education, collective experience, and the ways we adapt in uncertain times. For her, making art is not just about creating things — it’s a way to observe, reflect, and understand the world around us.