Acting Schools in India: 12 Famous Training Institutes
This article covers basic information about 12 Top-Ranked Acting Schools in India which are reputed for world-class education in acting.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 10 Dec 2021 6:16 AM GMTIs acting your calling? Do you often dream of making it big in the movie or television industry? Along with a serious passion for acting and entertaining people and a bit of luck, you will also need a formal training to hone your skills. Luckily, there are many famous acting schools in India which enable you to become more confident and competitive in a cut-throat industry. These schools offer formal degrees and certificate programs to offer wings to your dreams and kickstart a successful career in the acting business.
In this article, we have listed 12 Reputed Acting Schools in India which are renowned for their world-class education and practical projects in professional acting.
ICE or Institute of Creative Excellence is one of the best acting schools in India which was initiated and conceptualized by Ekta Kapoor, the head of Balaji Telefilms. The institute offers 18 different courses that cover a variety of domains under one roof like Performing Arts, Filmmaking, Acting, Young Stars and Supporting Stars. The advantage with ICE is that you will receive strong theoretical knowledge supported by practical training and mentorship with industry experts. There is a lifelong placement support for students who also receive access to 13 live sets for a real-time learning experience.
The Film and Television Institute of India or FTII, Pune is an autonomous body which runs under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It was setup in 1960 by the Government of India and offers eleven full-time courses in various disciplines like film direction, cinematography, editing and audiography, along with short courses in scriptwriting, computer graphics and animation etc. You can choose to attend class on-campus or FTII off-campus centers located in prime cities of the country. FTII currently enjoys the status of one of the premium acting schools not just in India but even in the world. Many established actors and film personalities like Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Om Puri are an alumni of FTII.
Barry John Acting School or BJAS is one of the prestigious acting schools in India which was established in 1997 as Imago Acting School at New Delhi. In 2007, it got moved top Mumbai and popular actors like Varun Dhawan, Rana Daggubati, Frieda Pinto and Arjun Kapoor was among the first few students of BJAS. The school currently offers 4 month or 6 month courses in Diploma in Acting, along with 3-month certificate course that is conducted during weekends. There is a comprehensive curriculum that involves projects, theoretical classes and scene works to prepare you well for a professional film career.
The National School of Drama is one of the finest acting schools in India which was set up in 1959 by the Sangeeth Natak Academi. Currently, it operates as an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The reason for NSD's popularity is its intensive curriculum that covers every aspect in theatre and drama. It also introduces many famous Sanskrit Dramas, Indian dramas and traditional plays to strengthen the foundation and offer a complete understanding of theatre. NSD offers three-year full-time Diploma courses in Dramatic acts along with extension programs to conduct theatre workshops of adults in children across the country.
Actor Prepares is one of India's best acting schools and the world's only acting school run by a professionally active actor. It was founded by Anupam Kher in 2005 in Mumbai with an aimto offer scientific and modern knowledge in acting and filmmaking to newcomers. Popular actors like Kiara Advani, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta etc. are alumni of Actor Prepares, which speak volumes about the quality of education here. There are specialized courses in Acting and Writing along with workshops for adults and children. Its studios are located in main areas of Mumbai like Andheri, Santacruz, Dadar etc. to make learning accessible for everyone.
AAFT or Asian Institute of Film and Television is one of the top acting institutes in India whose board comprises of renowned personalities like Sanjay Marwah, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. AAFT which is an educational and training academy of Marwah studios offers a full-fledged curriculum in film education with specialized courses in direction, acting, script writing etc. The admission process comprises of a written aptitude test with a personal interview based on the chosen course. The institute offers Bachelor's and Master Degree Courses in Theatre and Cinema.
Annapurna College of Film and Media is one of the renowned acting institutes in South India. It was launched in 2011 inside the famous Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad and headed by Akkineni Nagarjuna, a superstar himself in the Indian cinema. Annapurna College of Film and Media offers a unique hands-on experience to film aspirants with full-fledged infrastructure and workshops by professional filmmakers. The school offers a specialized certificate course in acting in weekday, weekend and online formats. The course covers a wide range of topics starting from self-analysis to basics of dance and portfolio shoot.
ZIMA or Zee Institute of Media and Arts is a top acting school in India which offers the latest courses in acting and filmmaking. The key advantages of ZIMA are ā world-class infrastructure, tailored coursed based on aspirations and industry stalwarts as mentors. The institute offers a 6-month course that involves three hours a day and three days a week along with 1 practical and 1 film appreciation per week to strengthen the foundation. The course covers many theoretical aspects along with practical training of facing the camera for a holistic development of students.
R.K. Film and Media Academy or RKFMA is one of the top-ranked acting schools in India, which is located in New Delhi. Being an established media institute, RKFMA boasts of experienced film and television personalities as its faculty members. The spacious campus is fully-equipped with the latest infrastructure to offer the best educational experience to its students. Coming to the academic programs, the institute offers both online and offline courses in acting, modelling and filmmaking. The curriculum is designed to suit even beginners and covers a wide range of topics that an actor must know.
Center for Research in Art of Film and Television (CRAFT) is one of the top-rated acting schools in India which was established in 2006 in Delhi. It is a non-profit organization that offers formal training in acting and filmmaking. There is a 6-month full-time regular course that specializes in acting and modelling. Along with classroom training, workshops by reputed actors like Surendra Rajan, Rajpal Yadav are conducted regularly to get expert advice. There is a special emphasis on screen acting training, which teaches students about camera skills.
Whistling Woods International is a reputed acting school of India, founded by the legendary Bollywood director, Subhash Ghai. The institute offers specialized courses in acting and film making that includes international curriculum to enable better employment opportunities to students. Talking of acting courses, there is an option to choose from a 3-year B.A in Acting and a 2-Year Advance Diploma in Acting. Whistling Woods also boasts of an excellent campus that contains all the necessary infrastructure and equipment under one-roof.
Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema and Entertainment (RSACE) is regarded as one of the best acting schools in India which was founded by the popular director, Ramesh Sippy. The school is tied up with Mumbai University which offers a graduate degree to students who took up a course in acting or film making. The curriculum is a perfect blend of theory and on-set training from industry experts to shape a student's professional career in film industry. The acting course is available in three formats ā full-time, part-time and weekend to cater to different requirements.
Those are the 12 Best Acting Schools in India which promise to fuel your acting career by equipping you with all the necessary skills. For more details like courses, fee structure, facilities etc. check the official websites of these institutes. We hope this article offered some guidance to get you started!
List of 12 Best Acting Schools in India:
Let us now look into the details of the famous acting schools and institutes in India:1. ICE ā Institute of Creative Excellence, Mumbai:
ICE or Institute of Creative Excellence is one of the best acting schools in India which was initiated and conceptualized by Ekta Kapoor, the head of Balaji Telefilms. The institute offers 18 different courses that cover a variety of domains under one roof like Performing Arts, Filmmaking, Acting, Young Stars and Supporting Stars. The advantage with ICE is that you will receive strong theoretical knowledge supported by practical training and mentorship with industry experts. There is a lifelong placement support for students who also receive access to 13 live sets for a real-time learning experience.
2. Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune:
The Film and Television Institute of India or FTII, Pune is an autonomous body which runs under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It was setup in 1960 by the Government of India and offers eleven full-time courses in various disciplines like film direction, cinematography, editing and audiography, along with short courses in scriptwriting, computer graphics and animation etc. You can choose to attend class on-campus or FTII off-campus centers located in prime cities of the country. FTII currently enjoys the status of one of the premium acting schools not just in India but even in the world. Many established actors and film personalities like Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Om Puri are an alumni of FTII.
3. Barry John Acting Studio, Mumbai:
Barry John Acting School or BJAS is one of the prestigious acting schools in India which was established in 1997 as Imago Acting School at New Delhi. In 2007, it got moved top Mumbai and popular actors like Varun Dhawan, Rana Daggubati, Frieda Pinto and Arjun Kapoor was among the first few students of BJAS. The school currently offers 4 month or 6 month courses in Diploma in Acting, along with 3-month certificate course that is conducted during weekends. There is a comprehensive curriculum that involves projects, theoretical classes and scene works to prepare you well for a professional film career.
4. National School of Drama, Delhi:
The National School of Drama is one of the finest acting schools in India which was set up in 1959 by the Sangeeth Natak Academi. Currently, it operates as an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The reason for NSD's popularity is its intensive curriculum that covers every aspect in theatre and drama. It also introduces many famous Sanskrit Dramas, Indian dramas and traditional plays to strengthen the foundation and offer a complete understanding of theatre. NSD offers three-year full-time Diploma courses in Dramatic acts along with extension programs to conduct theatre workshops of adults in children across the country.
5. Anupam Kher's Actor Prepares, Mumbai:
Actor Prepares is one of India's best acting schools and the world's only acting school run by a professionally active actor. It was founded by Anupam Kher in 2005 in Mumbai with an aimto offer scientific and modern knowledge in acting and filmmaking to newcomers. Popular actors like Kiara Advani, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta etc. are alumni of Actor Prepares, which speak volumes about the quality of education here. There are specialized courses in Acting and Writing along with workshops for adults and children. Its studios are located in main areas of Mumbai like Andheri, Santacruz, Dadar etc. to make learning accessible for everyone.
6. Asian Institute of Film and Television, Noida:
AAFT or Asian Institute of Film and Television is one of the top acting institutes in India whose board comprises of renowned personalities like Sanjay Marwah, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. AAFT which is an educational and training academy of Marwah studios offers a full-fledged curriculum in film education with specialized courses in direction, acting, script writing etc. The admission process comprises of a written aptitude test with a personal interview based on the chosen course. The institute offers Bachelor's and Master Degree Courses in Theatre and Cinema.
7. Annapurna College of Film and Media, Hyderabad:
Annapurna College of Film and Media is one of the renowned acting institutes in South India. It was launched in 2011 inside the famous Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad and headed by Akkineni Nagarjuna, a superstar himself in the Indian cinema. Annapurna College of Film and Media offers a unique hands-on experience to film aspirants with full-fledged infrastructure and workshops by professional filmmakers. The school offers a specialized certificate course in acting in weekday, weekend and online formats. The course covers a wide range of topics starting from self-analysis to basics of dance and portfolio shoot.
8. Zee Institute of Media and Arts, Mumbai:
ZIMA or Zee Institute of Media and Arts is a top acting school in India which offers the latest courses in acting and filmmaking. The key advantages of ZIMA are ā world-class infrastructure, tailored coursed based on aspirations and industry stalwarts as mentors. The institute offers a 6-month course that involves three hours a day and three days a week along with 1 practical and 1 film appreciation per week to strengthen the foundation. The course covers many theoretical aspects along with practical training of facing the camera for a holistic development of students.
9. R.K. Film and Media Academy, Delhi:
R.K. Film and Media Academy or RKFMA is one of the top-ranked acting schools in India, which is located in New Delhi. Being an established media institute, RKFMA boasts of experienced film and television personalities as its faculty members. The spacious campus is fully-equipped with the latest infrastructure to offer the best educational experience to its students. Coming to the academic programs, the institute offers both online and offline courses in acting, modelling and filmmaking. The curriculum is designed to suit even beginners and covers a wide range of topics that an actor must know.
10. CRAFT, Delhi:
Center for Research in Art of Film and Television (CRAFT) is one of the top-rated acting schools in India which was established in 2006 in Delhi. It is a non-profit organization that offers formal training in acting and filmmaking. There is a 6-month full-time regular course that specializes in acting and modelling. Along with classroom training, workshops by reputed actors like Surendra Rajan, Rajpal Yadav are conducted regularly to get expert advice. There is a special emphasis on screen acting training, which teaches students about camera skills.
11. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai:
Whistling Woods International is a reputed acting school of India, founded by the legendary Bollywood director, Subhash Ghai. The institute offers specialized courses in acting and film making that includes international curriculum to enable better employment opportunities to students. Talking of acting courses, there is an option to choose from a 3-year B.A in Acting and a 2-Year Advance Diploma in Acting. Whistling Woods also boasts of an excellent campus that contains all the necessary infrastructure and equipment under one-roof.
12. Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema and Entertainment, Mumbai:
Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema and Entertainment (RSACE) is regarded as one of the best acting schools in India which was founded by the popular director, Ramesh Sippy. The school is tied up with Mumbai University which offers a graduate degree to students who took up a course in acting or film making. The curriculum is a perfect blend of theory and on-set training from industry experts to shape a student's professional career in film industry. The acting course is available in three formats ā full-time, part-time and weekend to cater to different requirements.
Those are the 12 Best Acting Schools in India which promise to fuel your acting career by equipping you with all the necessary skills. For more details like courses, fee structure, facilities etc. check the official websites of these institutes. We hope this article offered some guidance to get you started!
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