- My first ad film was at 3 years of age.
- My first professional theatrical production of ‘Sound of Music’ was at 15.
- My first film was at the age of 17.
And after over several decades, I am still irrevocably in love with the performing arts.
In 2003, I started Balancing Act Productions along with Aditya and we have produced/ directed /worked with over 1000 stage shows, short films and events and written over 15 original plays.
In 2005, I launched IMPS which is an Improvisational Acting Course aimed at learning acting, expression, building confidence and having fun through Interactive Games. Over the last 10 years Imps has an avid fan-following. We have played at several venues across the city and have been watched by approximately 70,000 people. We have also trained over 15,000 people over the past 10 years in Improvisational Acting.
Balancing Act Trust was setup in 2013 with the intent of using art for societal change. Today, Balancing Act Trust hosts one of the biggest theatre, dance and music festivals in Mumbai known as YouTheatre. Each year we partner with at least four NGOs, that we believe need the support, to create message films for them and invite them to perform with us at the YouTheatre Finale, helping audiences understand who they really are and what they need. The main reason behind me starting YouTheatre is to encourage everyone to try their hand and perform live- theatre, standup, music and even dance – YouTheatre has something for all the live arts.
In January 2016, we launched Balancing Act Films which is a one stop solution for everything related to brand. From managing events and celebrities, to creating unique Intellectual Properties and Television Properties for creating Brand opportunities in films- Balancing Act ensures Brands are completely looked after – from conceptualization, to creation, to organization, to broadcast!
I work with Brands to Strategise, Create and Produce Digital Content. and Balancing Act was nominated for 2 Cannes Lions in 2018 and won The Global Leaders Award for ‘Most Promising and Innovative Digital Content Company 2019.‘
We also were delighted to win the ‘Brand Equity Award for a Boutique Digital Agency’ 2022.
Digital, TV, theatre and films are all incredibly fabulous mediums and I am so very lucky to be blessed enough to be able to create in all of them simultaneously.
Obviously it has been a whirlwind journey of unbridled excitement!
In the midst of all this craziness, my greatest strengths have been my drive, focus and determination to keep creating and keep learning. To me every journey is exciting… There’s never a dull day!
With so much going on, one really needs to blow off some steam. So I kick box in my spare time and play the piano when there’s nothing to hit.
My weaknesses are coffee, the colour gold and a good puppy cuddle :). That brings me to the 2 most important stress busters in my life Magic and his darling baby Marvel!
Besides theatre, my other stint has been in vocal arts. You definitely have to listen to my Malayalam music album (which pleased my grandmother very much).
I am looking forward to releasing my first feature film soon! Stay tuned for more action, drama, romance and excitement!
Divya Palat 