Nitish Bhardwaj

Nitish Bhardwaj is a poet and a theatre and film practitioner from India, working as director, writer, performer, and researcher, with a particular interest in the expressive potential of gesture, movement, and interdisciplinary approaches. He also explores the pedagogical side of theatre by giving workshops primarily focused on Indian theater practices, Rasa theory, and hand gestures.

Bhardwaj’s ongoing research investigates the role of hand gestures in performance, which has led to the development of De Blinde Tijd, where hand gestures are used as poetic and aesthetic material, and Hands Whisper Quietly, a collaboration with Lawrence Kudria, where virtual reality technology was used to isolate and amplify communication through hands. He’s currently developing Hastas, which will also be his Master’s final performance at Toneelacademie Maastricht.

Recent theater projects include directing and performing in De Blinde Tijd (Rataplan, Antwerp, 2024, in collaboration with Stadscanvas and Fameus), Polyphony (Arsenaal, Mechelen, 2023), and Hippolyta! I wooed thee with my sword (MoMu, Antwerp, 2023; Gentse Feesten, Ghent, 2022), for which Nitish also wrote. In 2021–2022, he created What She Said, which premiered at Arenberg (Antwerp), and directed the experimental short film Being, selected for multiple international festivals in Tokyo, Moscow, and Indo-French festivals.

Through his practice, Nitish Bhardwaj explores how performance can emerge from the body as gestures, combining theatrical, cinematic, and technological languages. His work continues to investigate rhythm, presence, and meaning, with hands and movement as central expressive instruments. In Hastas, he will focus solely on the performer’s body, exploring hands as a primary instrument of expression.