MUMBAI: Delhi based acting teacher Barry John, who has been based in Delhi for the last 36 years, has now set up shop in Mumbai. The Barry John Acting Studio will begin functioning in Andheri, Mumbai from this month.

John will unfold a range of courses and workshops that will create learning opportunities for both aspiring and experienced actors as well as directors, writers and teachers. “The courses will now greatly emphasise on acting for camera. I want to evolve a new breed of actors who are versatile and accomplished in all forms of contemporary media,” emphasised John at a press conference held to announce the launch of his acting studio.

Also present at the launch were actors Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, filmmaker Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, television personalities Siddharth Basu, Divya Seth, Raghuveer Yadav and Ritu Raj who have all been John’s students.

John has directed training workshops for the casts of Salaam Bombay for Mira Nair, Mohabattein for Aditya Chopra, Dreaming Lhasa for Tenzing Sonam and also taught at the FTII in Pune.

Mehra said, “Immediately after writing my 25 page script for Rang De Basanti, I first went to Barry. I wanted him to conduct an acting workshop for the actors I would cast. Even as we were about to commence shooting for the film, I was keen on sending my actors to him but unfortunately John was keeping very busy those days. But after the film was completed, I sent Kunal Kapoor to Barry for some months. I also request every new talent to get themselves tested with Barry before they come to me for auditions because casting actors for our scripts is easier said than done and with Barry here I am confident he will polish the skills of all actors.”