Krishnakumar Balasubramanian

Krishnakumar Balasubramanian (KK) is a Theatre & Film Actor, Director, Producer, Playwright, Set & Light Designer, Stunt choreographer and a Hospital Clown. He is the Artistic Director of The Little Theatre, Chennai from India. Film He recently played the role of Captain Che (Captain Chaitanya Rao) as a part of an ensemble cast in the Tamil feature film 'Soorarai Pottru' (Udaan - Hindi) Directed by Sudha Kongara. (2020) The short film directed by him 'Can you hear me?' had been accepted into the 'My rode reel' 2020 competition. (2020) KK has directed the music video 'Living like it's me' featuring Sanjeev T for DME (2020) Theatre Since 2007 he has created, written, produced, directed and acted in over 150 critically acclaimed and commercially successful original theatre productions, at the International Theatre Festival for Young Audiences (The Little Festival) and The Christmas Pantomimes by The Little Theatre. His shows played across India, in Iran and Malaysia to standing ovations. His productions are known to have a unique style of comedy, stunt sequences, traditional martial arts forms and the innovative use of technology. In 2016 he directed the play "I am an Actor, Your Honour" written by Suhasini Manirathnam featuring YG Mahendran for the Gollapudi Awards. In 2018 he directed the Theatre portions of 'Shanthi Sutra' A classical dance production by the prestigious 'Kalakshetra Foundation' He is the creator of 'ArtsLab'; a series of workshops using teaching theatre, music and dance to explore scientific concepts for children. The workshop began in 2020 when schools were struggling to engage their students online. The workshop enabled children from different countries and remote areas to come together digitally and engage with each other Awards & Achievements KK was voted as one of the 37 Young Indians of Tomorrow by 'India Today' in its 37th anniversary issue giving him the title 'Theatre Technocrat' 2012 He has been named - 'Best Actor' 'Best Director' and won 'Best Play' at numerous Short and Sweet theatre festivals 2014 - 2018. KK leads India's first hospital clown troupe by The Little Theatre. Over the past 6 years he has trained 10 professional hospital clowns and affected hundreds of patients and hospital staff in 3 city hospitals. It is an initiative to bring laughter and relief in hospitals in Chennai through clowning for which he was awarded "The Creative Arts Therapy Award" by "Sancheti Health Care Academy" in April 2018. He is an alumnus of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, (2012). He was a panelist at the World Economic Forum on India 2012 (South Asia's Children-Are We Thinking about South Asia's Tomorrow) with Sarah Jane Brown (wife of ex Prime Minister, UK) and Ulhas Yargop President, IT Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, India. He is a TEDx speaker (TEDx ChMCollege, TEDx Youth Chennai and TEDx Delhi Salon), a trained martial artist and a fitness enthusiast.