Dipti Mehta

Dipti Mehta is an Indian American actress best known for her portrayal of Reina in Life! Camera Action... bringing her multiple international awards and nominations.[1]

Dipti Mehta
Mehta at the World Premiere of Life! Camera Action... in New York.
Born
Dipti Mehta

Ahmedabad, India
EducationPh.D in Molecular and cellular biology
OccupationActress
Websitediptimehta.com

Early life

Mehta was born and raised in Mumbai. Mehta dreamed of being an actor since she was very young. She studied at SKI Jain Girls High School in Marine Lines, Mumbai and went to Wilson College and then to Sophia College for her bachelor's and master's degrees. She majored in Microbiology with Biotechnology as her minor. Mehta has earned a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Arizona.[2] She acted in plays and various theater projects while attending college. She was a part of a semi-classical dance group in Arizona. She got training in Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance forms while getting her doctoral degree.

She has worked as a radio jockey on the FM station of All India Radio hosting music shows in Hindi and English. She has also appeared in Hindi TV shows and Bollywood films.[2]

Acting career

Mehta started her acting career on stage with Gujarati plays and moved on to becoming a regularly heard voice on All India Radio with the FM section of Mumbai. This launched her into the world of hosting live and recorded events. She then starred in the TV serial Hum Tum on Zee Next as the fashion designer Anjali. She also hosted a yoga show "Arogya Sampada" on Zee International. She auditioned for the Gujarati series of the yoga show then continuing to be a co-host on Hindi show Yoga for You for Zee International. In all she recorded 450 episodes for Zee International. Before starring in Life! Camera Action... Mehta did cameos in a few Bollywood films. In an interview Mehta revealed that In an informal meeting before the audition for Life! Camera Action..., director Rohit Gupta thought she was not right for the part, although she was invited at the audition, where he failed to recognize her at the first tryout. Mehta did get the part, and it became her debut film as a lead.

"Rohit and I met as someone had suggested my name for this role, but in that meeting he told me, I was not right for the part, and maybe in future we would work together on another project. I still got an audition call and I thought it was probably a mistake that I had been called in, but decided to go anyway. Since I had nothing to gain or lose, I went without dressing up like an actor (to impress). I was wearing regular shirt and jeans and no make up at all. Rohit did not recognize me at first and then when I introduced myself he said you look very different today. I auditioned and he offered me the part.[3]

She also appeared as the lead in Penumbra, a short film which was showcased at Short film corner - Cannes film festival in 2012. She played the role of Priya in Yaatra which she also wrote and produced.[4]

Mehta was seen playing Nisha in an off-off-Broadway show, Bollywood Wedding in New York. In addition to acting, Mehta also loves to write. She has written two plays and one screenplay so far. The first play she wrote was Grahan, which won her best script and three other awards at a theater competition, "Astitva 2004" in Mumbai. In 2012 Mehta wrote and performed her one-woman show, Honour.[5] She performed 5 different characters in Honour which was produced by "La Mama and Loose Change Productions". She was invited to perform a Bollywood form dance sequence at the World Music & Independent Film Festival's 2011 gala awards ceremony in Washington D.C where she was nominated for the Best Actress award for her performance in Life! Camera Action..... She shared the stage with 2 times Golden Globe and Academy awards nominee Carol Connors (singer).[2]

Philanthropy

Mehta’s one-woman show HONOUR: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan throws light on sex trafficking and her show provided platform for an interactive panel discussion for AF3IRM NY chapter.[6] She was also invited to speak at the panel discussion on "Global Atrocities of Human sex trafficking" organized by "Blue Kite Press" and NYU bookstore on 14 February 2013. She was the keynote speaker at the annual gala event for Boston, MA based organization Saheli in 2017. She was awarded with the Nirbhaya award at the occasion for her work in the arts to advocate women's rights.

Writing

Mehta was commissioned to write Priya and the Lost Girls, third chapter in the series Priya's Shakti comic book series. Priya and the Lost Girls, focuses on the issue of trafficking and stigma surrounding the victims.

Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
2008Colors of PassionReporter
2009 VictoryGauri(feature)
Red CorvetteLarry's friend
2010WalkawayNidhi's sister-in-law (cameo role)(feature)
2011 I dream of hopeSia(short film)
Khushiyaanactress(Punjabi language feature film)
2012 Life! Camera Action...Reinawon critical acclaim (debut as lead in a feature film)
Yaatra[7]lead actress, producer, writer, co-director(short film)
PenumbraKrishna(short film)
A Date.. (Nuvvu, Nenu...Tanu)Mona(short film)
2013 Mamaros[8]Savi(short film)
Eternal LoveYamini(short film)
2014 An American in Hollywood(cameo role)(feature)
SplitShiela(feature)
A Box Came to BrooklynDipti(short film)
2016 Midnight DelightScientist(feature)
Far AwayRitika(short)
2017 Going Publicsurgeon(short)
AccommodationsDiya(feature)
Humor MePakistani Woman(feature)

Television
Year Film Director Role Character Notes
2013 Golden BoyKaren GaviolaActressKate McKennaseason 1, episode 12
One Life to LiveHabib AzarActressDoctorseason 1, episode 37
One Life to LiveJessica Klein, Thom RacinaActressDoctorseason 1, episode 36
One Life to LiveJessica Klein, Thom RacinaActressDoctorseason 1, episode 35
One Life to LiveJessica Klein, Thom RacinaActressDoctorseason 1, episode 3
2015 Deadline Crime With Tamron HallSandya ViswanathanActressNazishseason 3, episode 10
The BlacklistTerrence O'HaraActressDoctorseason 3, episode 108
2017 Shades of Blue Steve Shill Actress Harlee's Nurse season 3, episode 305

Awards and nominations
Festival/Award Year, Location Project Category Outcome
South Asian International Performing Arts Festival New York HONOUR: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan Best Actress Won
International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema 2016 Milan, Italy Midnight Delight Best Actress[9] Nominated
World Music & Independent Film Festival 2013, USA Yaatra Best Screenplay in short film Nominated
Yaatra Best Director in International short film shared with Erica Gould Nominated
Yaatra Best Actress international short film Nominated
Yaatra Best Women Filmmakers shared with Erica Gould Nominated
Yaatra Best Director - Southeast Asia Nominated
Yaatra Best Short Film - Southeast Asia Won
Sunset International Film Festival[10] 2012, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Female Actor Won
28th Goldie Film Awards[11] 2012, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Actress Won
HMIFF[12] 2012, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Actress Nominated
Prestige Film Awards[13] 2012, USA Life! Camera Action... Gold Award - Leading Actress Won
Golden Door Film Festival of Jersey City[14] 2011, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Female Lead Nominated
World Music & Independent Film Festival[15] 2011, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Actress Nominated
Silent River Film Festival[16] 2011, USA Life! Camera Action... Best Actress Nominated
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References
  1. "Dipti Mehta wins 'Best Actress in the leading role' award at the SIFF 2012, her 2nd in a row". Cinesangeet. 18 May 2012.
  2. Dipti Mehta to perform at Independent Film Festival|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-18/cinema/29900342_1_acting-independent-film-festival-higher-studies
  3. "Interview: Up Close with DIPTI MEHTA - "Best Actress" Award Winner for "LIFE! CAMERA ACTION..."". WBRI, USA. 5 May 2012.
  4. "Dipti Mehta's next venture is based on a true story". Urban Asian. 19 June 2012.
  5. "La MaMa to Present Dipti Mehta's Honour by offbroadway.broadwayworld.com". Off broadway. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  6. "Honour by Dipti Mehta". AF3IRM. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  7. "Actress Dipti Mehta to perform at Independent Film Festival". Times of India. 18 August 2011.
  8. "Mamaros". Internet Movie Database.
  9. M, Roopa (28 November 2016). "Dipti Mehta nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Milan, Italy". Urban Asian. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  10. "2012 Awards". Sunset Int. Film Festival.
  11. "Goldie Film Awards 2012". Internet Movie Database.
  12. "Dipti Mehta nominated as Best Actress at the HMIFF". Times of India. 3 April 2012.
  13. "Life! Camera Action... Wins another top three awards". Exclusive News. 4 August 2012. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012.
  14. "Winners 2011". GDIFFoJC. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013.
  15. "Dipti Mehta nominated for Best Actress award at the WMIFF". Times of India.
  16. "Life! Camera Action... Wins". Bollywood Trade. 17 September 2011.
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