From Film School to Film Sets: Rasika Dugal, Kalki Koechlin, Vidhatri Bandi and More Actors Who Studied the Craft

For some actors, the journey to the screen begins long before the first camera rolls. While talent and instinct remain central to acting, formal training can provide performers with the tools to understand characters, emotions, movement and the demands of a film set. Hindi cinema has several actresses who chose to invest in learning the craft before establishing themselves on screen.

Swati Bhat

Among them is Vidhatri Bandi, known for her work in Shiddat. Bandi graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television in 2016 and went on to pursue a professional programme in acting for camera, along with a career development course. She also trained in improvisation through a one-month basic course at The Groundlings.

Kalki Koechlin developed an interest in theatre at an early age. She studied drama at Goldsmiths, University of London, while her school years at Hebron School in Ooty also saw her engage with acting and writing. Her theatre background eventually became an important part of her screen career.

Rasika Dugal, widely recognised for her performances in Mirzapur and several acclaimed films, trained at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, where she completed a postgraduate programme in acting. During her time at FTII, she was also taught by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah.

Then there is Tillotama Shome, whose performances are often defined by their emotional depth and layered characterisation. She completed a master's programme in Educational Theatre at New York University and also taught theatre to inmates at a high-security prison in the United States.

Athiya Shetty, meanwhile, pursued formal training at the New York Film Academy, studying acting as well as filmmaking and liberal arts. Her education added an academic dimension to a career that began with her Bollywood debut in Hero.

These journeys underline an important aspect of acting: the craft can be learned, refined and continually challenged. For these performers, film school and theatre education were not merely qualifications, but part of the process of discovering what it takes to inhabit a character convincingly.

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Vidhatri Bandi Recalls Performing for Jennifer Aniston at UCLA, Calls It a Defining Moment in Her Acting Journey

Vidhatri Bandi has opened up about a deeply personal milestone in her acting journey; performing a scene for Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston during a masterclass at UCLA.

Swati Bhat

For the actor, the experience transcended merely performing before a renowned star. It served as a moment of reassurance during a period when she was still questioning her place in the acting profession.

Jennifer Aniston, globally recognized for her role as Rachel Green in the iconic sitcom FRIENDS, was invited as a special guest for a masterclass. Among 45 students attending, Vidhatri was chosen by her professors Andrea Bandewald and Nikki Deloach to perform a scene for Aniston. Notably, she was the youngest and the only Indian student in her cohort to receive this opportunity.

Reflecting on the experience, Vidhatri recalls the heightened pressure upon realizing she would be the first to perform.

“I remember the overwhelming feeling of having to go first. There is a unique pressure when you are the one setting the tone, entering a room full of people and being the first to take that step,” she recalls.

The moment became surreal when she looked up and saw Aniston in the room an actor she had admired on screen for years.

“Someone I had grown up watching was now watching me. For a few seconds, it seemed almost impossible to comprehend. But I took a breath, reminded myself of my purpose, and began. Once I said my first line, everything else faded away. It was surreal,” Vidhatri shares.

The experience was further enriched when Aniston provided feedback, praised her performance, and embraced her afterward.

For Vidhatri, however, the true significance of the moment lay in its personal impact. Just four months prior, she had been grappling with doubts about her future as an actor questioning her talent, her potential success in the industry, and her capabilities.

“Like many actors, I was burdened with numerous insecurities and unanswered questions. Then, four months later, I found myself in Los Angeles, at UCLA, selected from 45 students to perform a scene for Jennifer Aniston,” she says.

This contrast lent the moment a profound meaning. Rather than just being a memorable celebrity encounter, it answered many of the questions Vidhatri had been pondering.

“Sometimes life provides an answer before you even realize you were seeking one,” she reflects.

According to Vidhatri, no award or external validation could have replaced what that experience offered: the confidence to believe she belonged in the field she had chosen and the courage to continue pursuing acting.

In many ways, performing for Jennifer Aniston shifted the question Vidhatri was asking herself. Instead of wondering, Could I do this?, she left with the belief that she could.

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