Inside Jaane Pehchaane Anjane – The Artists Behind Anupam Kher’s New Musical Comedy-Drama | Part 6
When audiences see a theatre production, they naturally notice the performers first. But every memorable stage world is also shaped by the artists who create its visual language—the colours, textures, symbols and details that help a story speak even before a word is said.
Shraddha Mandale brings an especially distinctive perspective to Jaane Pehchaane Anjane.
She is part of the ensemble performing alongside Anupam Kher, Swaroop Sampat, Meghna Malik, Maya Sharma, Vikas Rawat and Herman D’Souza. At the same time, Shraddha has contributed to the production as a visual artist: she designed its masks and illustrated its poster.
It is a rare creative journey—from illustration and design to live performance, with her own artistic imprint present both onstage and around it.
An Artist Who Notices What Others Pass By
Shraddha Mandale is an award-winning visual artist, illustrator, designer and actor from Mumbai. Her work has moved across different forms of storytelling, but the thread connecting it all is her ability to find meaning in everyday life.
Her acclaimed Gully Art series looks at the changing streets of Mumbai: the street corners, structures, people and small moments that are often seen but rarely truly noticed. The work finds beauty in ordinary urban spaces and asks viewers to pause for a closer look.
The series was exhibited at Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery in 2019.
That instinct—to look beneath the surface—is also at the heart of Jaane Pehchaane Anjane. The musical comedy-drama explores relationships, memories, companionship and the emotions people carry beneath ordinary conversations. It is about people who may seem familiar to us, yet still hold parts of themselves that remain unknown.
For an artist like Shraddha, that is a world full of possibilities.
Building a Creative Language
A first-class Applied Arts graduate from Sophia Polytechnic in Mumbai, Shraddha began her professional journey in the design world before expanding her work across illustration and acting.
Her creative work has been recognised through multiple CAG Awards and the Maharashtra State Art Award. It has also travelled beyond India, including a showcase at Lost and Found in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and recognition through the Creative Conscience Awards in London.
But awards alone do not explain an artist.
What stands out in Shraddha’s work is its sense of curiosity. Her illustrations do not simply decorate a page; they observe people, places and situations. They turn a passing thought into a visual story.
That storytelling instinct is what makes her move into theatre feel so natural.
More Than One Role in the Production
For Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, Shraddha’s contribution reaches beyond acting.
She designed masks for the production and illustrated the poster that introduces its world to audiences. A poster is often the first emotional encounter someone has with a play. Before they know the story, before they hear a song or see a performance, its imagery creates a feeling.
The masks have their own importance too. In theatre, a mask is never just an object. It can suggest identity, emotion, mystery, humour or the gap between what a person shows and what they feel inside.
That connection feels particularly meaningful in a play called Jaane Pehchaane Anjane.
The title itself holds a beautiful contradiction:
People we know.
People we recognise.
And yet, people whose inner worlds may still surprise us.
Shraddha’s visual work helps give that idea a physical presence. Her acting brings her into the live, breathing world of the story itself.
From the Page to a Shared Live Moment
Illustration and acting may appear to be very different crafts. One is still; the other is alive in the moment. But both begin with observation.
An illustrator studies expression, body language, colour and mood. An actor studies emotion, rhythm, pauses and the subtle things people do not say. In both forms, the artist is trying to make an audience feel something.
Live theatre adds one more extraordinary element: the audience.
There are no retakes. A laugh reaches the stage immediately. A silence changes the air in the room. Every performance becomes a shared experience between the artists and the people watching them.
For Shraddha Mandale, Jaane Pehchaane Anjane brings together different sides of her creative life. She has helped create part of the visual identity of the production, and she is also part of the ensemble that brings its story to life each night.
That is what makes her journey such an interesting chapter in this series.
She is an artist who does not stay within one frame.
A Story Made Richer by Many Creative Voices
Jaane Pehchaane Anjane is written and directed by Gajendra Ahire, with music by Anu Malik, lyrics by Kausar Munir and choreography by Chirag Aggarwal.
Led by Anupam Kher and Swaroop Sampat, the production brings together performers and creative voices with very different journeys. That diversity matters because this is a story built around human relationships—the memories people hold, the conversations they avoid, the humour that appears in difficult moments and the need everyone feels to be understood.
Shraddha Mandale brings the perspective of a visual storyteller to that ensemble.
Her work across illustration, design and acting reminds us that theatre is created not by one star or one department, but by many artists contributing their own sensibility to a shared world.
Boston audiences will have the opportunity to see that world live.
Jaane Pehchaane Anjane – Live in Boston
Anupam Kher Studio presents Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, written and directed by Gajendra Ahire, with music by Anu Malik and lyrics by Kausar Munir.
Starring Anupam Kher and Swaroop Sampat, alongside Meghna Malik, Maya Sharma, Vikas Rawat, Shraddha Mandale and Herman D’Souza.
Sunday, October 11, 2026
The Collins Center for the Performing Arts
Andover, Massachusetts
Presented in Boston by Jay-Ho! and Dhoom Entertainment.
Book your tickets at Jay-Ho.com and experience this musical comedy-drama live on stage.
FAQs
Who is Shraddha Mandale?
Shraddha Mandale is an award-winning visual artist, illustrator, designer and actor from Mumbai. Her work has been recognised through art and design awards and showcased in India and internationally.
What is Shraddha Mandale’s role in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane?
Shraddha Mandale is part of the ensemble cast of Jaane Pehchaane Anjane. She also designed masks for the production and illustrated its poster.
What is Gully Art by Shraddha Mandale?
Gully Art is Shraddha Mandale’s visual-art series inspired by Mumbai’s changing streets and the beauty of ordinary urban spaces. The work was exhibited at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai.
What is Jaane Pehchaane Anjane about?
Jaane Pehchaane Anjane is a Hindi musical comedy-drama about relationships, memories, companionship and the emotions that exist beneath everyday conversations.
When is Jaane Pehchaane Anjane coming to Boston?
The production will be performed on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Collins Center for the Performing Arts in Andover, Massachusetts.
