Mahira Kakkar

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About Mahira

Mahira Kakkar is a New York City-based actor who has worked in film, television and theater. Born in Kolkata, India, she is the first person of Indian origin to attend The Julliard School’s Drama Division. Since then she has appeared in numerous plays both in New York and around the world, and guest-starred on many television shows. In 2013 she starred in Hank and Asha, for which she won Best Actress in the Napa Valley Film Festival. She is drawn to wit, humor, physical and language-driven pieces, young adult fiction with unlikely heroines, joyous dance, outrageous fashion, the color pink, and dogs. She is proud to call both the United States and India home.

Mahira's Reel

Mahira's Resume

Off-Broadway / New York Theatre

  • Islands of Contentment Krishna Hypokrit Theatre / Arpita Mukherjee and Hannah Wolf
  • Here We Are Thank You Letter Theatre For One / Candis Jones New York Times Critics' Pick
  • The Headlands Jess Lincoln Center Theatre / Knud Adams
  • The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui Flake / Dock Daisy Classic Stage Company / John Doyle
  • Henry VI, Parts 1-3 Margaret National Asian American Theatre Company / Stephen Brown-Fried Critics' Pick- The New York Times
  • The St. Vincent's Project (with Kathleen Chalfant) Mary Ulricha Rattlestick / Daniella Topol
  • The Winter's Tale Paulina Theatre For A New Audience / Arin Arbus Critics' Pick- The New York Times
  • Against the Hillside Reem Ensemble Studio Theatre / William Carden
  • The Trial Of An American President Narrator The Lion Theatre / Stephen Eich
  • Romeo & Juliet Lady Capulet The Public Theatre / Lear deBassonet
  • Untitled Julie Taymor Project Ensemble Workshop / Julie Taymor
  • Monsoon Wedding Pimmi Workshop / Mira Nair
  • When January Feels Like Summer Nirmala Ensemble Studio Theatre / Daniella Topol Critics' Pick- The New York Times
  • The Ragged Claws Safiya Cherry Lane Studio / Jedadiah Schultz
  • Clive Woman #2 New Group / Ethan Hawke
  • Harper Regan Justine Ross Atlantic Theatre Company / Gaye Taylor Upchurch
  • All's Well That Ends Well Widow / Linguist Soldier Public Theater Shakespeare Lab / Barry Edelstein
  • Sophistry Debbie Beckett Theatre / James Warwick
  • Opus Grace Primary Stages / Terry Nolen
  • Betrothed Bibi Ripe Time Theatre Company / Rachel Dickstein
  • Cave Dwellers The Girl Pearl Theatre Company / Shepard Sobel
  • Miss Witherspoon Maryamma Playwrights Horizons / Emily Mann

Television / Film

  • Manifest Dr. Aria Gupta (recurring - 9 episodes) Jeff Rake - showrunner
  • A Suitable Boy Mrs. Rupa Mehra (series lead) Mira Nair
  • New Amsterdam Mrs. Laghari Michael Slovis
  • Orange Is The New Black Recurring Andrew McCarthy
  • Friends From College Co-star Andrew Garland
  • Bite Me Supporting lead Meredith Edwards
  • Odd Mom Out ("Brooklandia") Co-star Jeff Melman
  • Louie ("A La Carte") Co-star Louis C.K.
  • The Blacklist ("Luther Braxton (No. 21): Conclusion") Co-star Michael Watkins
  • Hechki Lead Kartik Singh Audience Favorite Award-River to River Florence Film Festival 2014
  • Oil and Vinegar Supporting Brad Binning
  • The Life Of Pi V oiceover Ang Lee
  • Blue Bloods Recurring Stephen Gyllenhaal
  • Hank And Asha Asha (Lead) James E. Duff BronzeLens Award- BronzeLens Film Festival
    Audience Favorite Best Actress Award – Napa Valley Film Festival
    Audience Favorite Film Award – Slamdance Film Festival
    Best Actress Award- Wild Rose Film Festival
  • The Big C Co-star Craig Zisk
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent Guest Star Steve Shill
  • Gareeb Nawaz’s Taxi Supporting Ritesh Batra
  • A Night In The Hill Lead Matthew Weiss

Regional Theatre

  • The Importance Of Being Earnest Gwendolen Cape Playhouse / Matt Lenz
  • Skylight Kira McCarter Theatre / Emily Mann
  • The Importance Of Being Earnest Miss Prism Two River / Michael Cumpsty
  • Monsoon Wedding Pimmi Berkeley Repertory Theatre / Mira Nair
  • A Comedy Of Errors Luciana Hartford Stage / Darko Tresnjak
  • Bedroom Farce Jan Huntington Theatre / Mariah Aitken
  • The Crucible Mary Warren Cleveland Playhouse / Laura Kepley
  • The Profane Aisa/Dania New York Stage and Film / Carolyn Cantor
  • Five Mile Lake Peta McCarter Theatre / Emily Mann
  • Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Cassandra Bucks County Playhouse / Sheryl Kaller
  • La Dispute Adine Hartford Stage / Darko Tresnjak
  • Macbeth 2nd Witch Hartford Stage / Darko Tresnjak
  • Modern Terrorism Yalda CATF / Ed Herendeen
  • Jesus In India Mary / Mahari Magic Theatre / Daniella Topol
  • Twelfth Night Viola Westport Country Playhouse / Mark Lamos
  • Rafta Rafta Vina Old Globe Theatre / Jonathan Silverstein
  • Romeo & Juliet Vina Virginia Stage Company / Patrick Mullins
  • Romeo & Juliet Juliet Arden Theatre Company / Matt Pfeiffer
  • Inana Shali Denver Center Theatre / Michael Pressman
  • Seven Mukhtaran 92nd Street Y / Evan Yionoulis
  • Coriolanus Virgilia Oregon Shakespeare Festival / Laird Williamson
  • Our Town Emily Webb Oregon Shakespeare Festival / Chay Yew
  • The Three Sisters Irina Baltimore Center Stage / Irene Lewis
  • Around The World In 80 Days Aouda Florida Studio Theatre / Russ Treyz
  • Miss Witherspoon Maryamma McCarter Theatre / Emily Mann
  • Lady Windermere's Fan Lady Windermere Baltimore Center Stage / Irene Lewis
  • Once In A Lifetime Miss Leighton Chautauqua Theatre / Ralph Zito
  • Macbeth Witch Chautauqua Theatre / Rob Bundy

Training

  • Acting: Juilliard – Drama Divison, Harold Guskin, Cotter Smith, SITI
  • Shakespeare: The Public Theatre Shakespeare Lab
  • On Camera: Bob Krakower, Ted Sluberski, Steven O’Neill, Victoria Visgilio, Ellen Novack
  • Voice/Singing: Matt Farnsworth Studios

Special Skills

  • Dialects: Standard American, Afghani, Standard British, Cockney, French, German, Pakistani, Indian Fluent in Hindi and Bengali.
  • Basic Trapeze
  • Spoken Word

Contact

IMDB

Representation

Acting Agent:

DGRW
212-382-2000

Commercial Agent:

CESD
New York
333 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212-477-1666

Management:

Amplified Entertainment Inc.
201 West 85th Street, #16E
New York, NY 10024

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News

Monsoon Wedding musical extended to July 9

The Monsoon Wedding musical has been extended to July 9! See the Berkeley Rep website for more details.

Watch Mahira’s scene in Season 5 of “Louie”

Mahira was really excited to work with Louis C.K. on his show Louie. Her scene is on Louie C.K.’s official YouTube channel. Check it out!

Watch the entire short film “Hechki”

Kartik Singh, writer and director of “Hechki” has posted the short film on his YouTube channel. It’s a beautiful, fun film and I was delighted to work with him. Click here to see Mahira in “Hechki.”

Movies and Films Likes Hank & Asha

The industry podcast Movies and Films reviewed Hank and Asha, calling it “a very sweet love story.” And:

Mahira Kakkar plays Asha and she is wonderful. She has such a beautiful energy to her and she is just delightful. You can’t take your eyes off her.

Comments about Hank and Asha begin at about minute 44. You can listen to the entire episode (#87) here.

Hank and Asha reviewed in LA Times

Hank and Asha received a glowing review from the LA Times:

… the beguiling lead performances are what ultimately make “Hank and Asha” such a watchable little adventure. Like the film itself, Kakkar and Pastides are lively, adorable and thoroughly winning.

Read the entire review here.

Hank and Asha Extended For One More Week At Village East

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Hank And Asha is being held over at Village East Cinema in New York, NY has been extended another week! You now have until April 24 to go see it.

River Run Review Likes Hank And Asha

Chad Nance, writing for Winston-Salem’s River Run Review saw Hank And Asha. and loved it. He had some very kind things to say about Andrew Pastide, my co-star, and about me as well:

Mahira Kakkar as Asha is, in a word, adorable. Her performance is truthful, fleshed out and filled with a true joy that is never “bubbly” or vapid, but comes from a sincere depth and strength of character.

Read the whole review here.