From engineering to more than 500 stage performances, Vikas Rawat’s journey reflects years of learning, experimentation and commitment to theatre. In Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, he takes on the roles of Rahul and Ranjan, adding another chapter to a career shaped by varied characters and productions.
An Engineer Who Chose the Stage
Vikas Rawat holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Science from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering. His professional journey, however, eventually led him away from engineering and towards theatre.
Active in professional theatre since 2012, Rawat has performed in more than 500 shows across over 30 productions in India and internationally. His long association with IPTA Mumbai has included appearances in more than 20 of its productions, many of them staged at Mumbai’s iconic Prithvi Theatre.
His theatre credits include Kabuliwala, Bhooke Bhajan Na Hoye Gopala, Drishtidaan, Buddhe Ne Maari Century, Tajmahal Ka Tender, Hum Deewane Hum Parwaane, Moteram, Aakhri Shama, Ek Aur Dronacharya and Kashmakash.
Through these productions, he has worked with directors including M. S. Sathyu, Ramesh Talwar, Rakesh Bedi, Salim Arif, Faezeh Jalali, Paritosh Painter and Gajendra Ahire.
He has also shared the stage with performers such as Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Swaroop Sampat, Rakesh Bedi, Aanjjan Srivastav, Avtar Gill, Sulabha Arya, Ananth Mahadevan and Meghna Malik.
From Kabuliwala to a Living Bansuri
Rawat’s theatre journey includes characters drawn from literature, comedy, contemporary drama and musical productions.
In the stage adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwala, directed by Ramesh Talwar, he portrays Rahmat—the Afghan trader whose friendship with a young girl reminds him of the daughter he left behind.
Speaking about the role, Rawat described Rahmat as a character defined by stillness and quiet dignity. He drew inspiration from Balraj Sahni’s celebrated portrayal while consciously avoiding imitation and finding his own interpretation of the character.
In a very different production, Bansuri Jab Gaane Lage, a musical tribute to Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Rawat portrays “Bansi”—the personification of the flute. He also appears as Pandit Chaurasia and several other figures in a performance combining acting, movement, live singing and multiple character transformations.
Coverage of the production has highlighted the imaginative decision to allow the bansuri itself to become a character and narrator in the story of Pandit Chaurasia’s musical journey.
Rawat has also explored comedy through productions such as Faezeh Jalali’s wedding farce Runaway Brides, in which he plays a pandit caught in an increasingly unpredictable celebration.
His other performances include Bob in Rakesh Bedi’s social comedy Patte Khul Gaye and the antagonist Afghan Paani, among several characters, in Paritosh Painter’s Akbar-Birbal.
Beyond Acting
Rawat is also a singer, music composer and instrumentalist. He plays the keyboard, harmonium and melodica and has a working knowledge of the ukulele.
Beyond theatre, he has appeared in more than 85 commercials across Hindi, English, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. His advertising work has included campaigns featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Mahesh Babu, Dulquer Salmaan, Puneeth Rajkumar, Sunil Grover, Disha Patani and Vinay Pathak.
He has also worked behind the camera as a director’s assistant, assistant director and associate producer across fiction, nonfiction, long-format and short-format projects.
These different experiences have given him an understanding of performance from more than one perspective—not only as an actor standing under the spotlight, but also as someone familiar with the work taking place behind it.
A New Chapter in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane
In Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, Rawat steps into the roles of Rahul and Ranjan.
Playing two characters within the same production requires more than a change of appearance. Their individuality must emerge through voice, posture, movement, timing and emotional intention.
For an actor who has portrayed a beloved literary character, personified a musical instrument and moved between drama, music and comedy, Rahul and Ranjan represent another opportunity to explore contrasting personalities on stage.
The roles also reflect the ensemble nature of Jaane Pehchaane Anjane. While Anupam Kher and Swaroop Sampat lead the production, its world is created through the lives and relationships of several characters. Rawat’s two roles contribute different energies to that larger story.
Greater Boston audiences can see Vikas Rawat in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane at the Collins Center in Andover on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Presented by Dhoom Entertainment and Jay-Ho!, the show will be the special closing performance of the production’s 2026 North American tour.
For Vikas Rawat, it marks another step in a theatre journey that continues to unfold—one stage, one story and one character at a time.
FAQs
Who is Vikas Rawat?
Vikas Rawat is a theatre actor, singer, music composer and instrumentalist who has been active in professional theatre since 2012.
How many theatre performances has Vikas Rawat done?
Vikas Rawat has performed in more than 500 stage shows across over 30 productions in India and internationally.
What roles does Vikas Rawat play in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane?
Vikas Rawat plays the roles of Rahul and Ranjan in Jaane Pehchaane Anjane.
What is Vikas Rawat’s educational background?
Vikas Rawat holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Science from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering.
