Mouli Ganguly loved the arts so much during his time at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur that he was once jokingly told he might receive a certificate in dramatics instead of technology. He still laughs about it today.
That was eons ago. Since then, Ganguly has leveraged his degrees from IIT and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, to lead and advise major Australian and global corporations and start-ups. Yet, his passion for the arts has remained unwavering.
This August, Ganguly made a notable appearance in My Melbourne, a collection of four short films celebrating diversity and inclusivity, which premiered at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. He took on two roles—one as a cameo and the other as a father—working with prominent Indian directors such as Onir and Imtiaz Ali.
“Onir made me understand the key differences between theatrical acting and acting in a movie,” reflects Ganguly. “In theatre, you project to reach the farthest audience member, while in film, you internalise everything. That process is challenging.”
It was daunting, Ganguly adds, to work with such a large crew and prominent directors, but he also felt relaxed at the same time, given the immense support.
Ganguly’s earliest foray into the world of acting was as a child growing up in Kolkata, India.
“I have been performing since I was five or six years old. I attended a school that emphasised all-round personal development, where we engaged in plays, elocution, debates, and more. I was fortunate to have teachers who later became prominent figures in both theatre and cinema. But I didn’t have their courage to pursue it full-time.”
Despite not pursuing acting as a full-time career, Ganguly continued to embrace it as a hobby. “We are all brimming with a desire to express ourselves culturally,” he says.
This passion led him to immerse himself in the Tagore Open Air Theatre at IIT Kharagpur, which had a 6,000-seat capacity. “We were doing all kinds of plays—big, complex productions—with faculty members, an incredible technical team of planners, and talented musicians,” he recalls.
At IIM Ahmedabad, he also dabbled in Mṛcchakatika (The Little Clay Cart), a 5th-century Sanskrit play. “That was the first play, around the 1700s, that introduced the wealth of Indian Natyashastra to the world. It was also translated into French and performed in Paris.”
Fast forward to Melbourne: Ganguly arrived in 1983, and just two years later, in 1986, he produced the first full-length play in Bengali, Kenaram Becharam.
“We were a very small community then,” he reflects. “I was fortunate that in 1984 we formed the Bengali Association of Victoria, which became the largest ethnic organisation. There were about 100 families, and it was all about establishing our identity.
“And we could not imagine anything beyond the small cloister of Bengali families coming in for the play. We were acting, we were watching—we were all within ourselves.”
Ganguly notes that multiculturalism was just gaining recognition back then, and now, with an Asian, Vivienne Nguyen, serving as the chair of the Multicultural Commission, it is evident how far it has progressed.
Since then, Ganguly has been involved in over 40 performances across Bengali, Hindi, and English. In 2006, he acted in a full-length feature film produced in Melbourne and both acted in and directed the romantic comedy musical Same Side.
In 2009, he co-wrote and co-directed a play about the migrant experience with a well-known Australian theatre personality, also taking on an acting role.
From 2013 onwards, he began writing and directing major plays with a cinematic approach, focusing on multicultural themes and integrating music and various dance forms. Overall, he has acted, directed, and contributed to around 50 productions spanning different genres.
Now, with My Melbourne as the precursor, he is turning his focus towards filmmaking. Having spent over 40 years in Australia, he is also a proud grandfather of five and has been honoured by various councils and community organisations for his contributions.
“I will continue to pursue my passion, hopefully with more opportunities in films,” says Ganguly. “Who knows what tomorrow holds, but I’m genuinely excited about the possibilities. Even if nothing more happens, what I’ve experienced so far has been absolutely amazing.”
The Indian Sun acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
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🎭🎬 Mouli Ganguly’s journey from IIT Kharagpur to the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne highlights his lifelong passion for the #arts. 🇮🇳 Discover his inspiring story & share your thoughts! 📽️🎥 #TheIndianSun @IFFMelb #Filmshttps://t.co/IOrusRJBIp
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