ABOUT
Meneka is an Indian born Actor, Theatre & Film director. based in London and Mumbai. Her first feature 'Little Box of Sweets' won the Grand Jury Award for Emerging Talent at HBO’s South Asian International Film Festival NY. "A promising first feature....... appealing echoes of Jean Renoir's The River.." Tom Dawson Channel 4
She directed a sold out run of Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ set in 1879 India, for which she received the Best Director Award 2024 at the Eastern Eye ACTAs in London.
Meneka directed series two of the BBC’s children’s programme. ‘The Dumping Ground: I’m’.
She is the recipient of the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Feature script award for her second feature script which is currently in development with the BFI. She is also developing it as a stage play with songs.
As an actor she has worked with directors such as Mike Leigh, David Yates, Tim Supple & Melly Still at the RSC, Nina Raine at the Royal Court and with Dexter Fletcher in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ playing the role of Jer Bulsura - the mother of Freddie Mercury.
SELECTED WORKS
A Doll's House - By Tanika Gupta after Ibsen - (director)
Production photos by Carla Evans
Awarded Best Director for the play at Eastern Eye ACTA Awards 2024
"...Meneka Das has done an excellent job directing Tanika Gupta's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 'A Dolls House' getting fine performances from her cast..it deserves to go to the West End!... " Amit Roy - Eastern Eye
The whole cast was incredible to watch. Thank you for giving such a great play performance.
London Fringe Theatre Reviews - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gupta’s adaptation of A Doll’s House is a compelling and thought-provoking production that successfully reimagines Ibsen’s original play for a contemporary audience, which at Ealing’s Questors Theatre, is a diverse and engaged sell-out crowd.
Brent Muirhouse - MarkAspen.com
Apologia - Alexi Kaye-Campbell - (director)
Apologia isn’t just an interesting piece of social commentary though, it’s funny and engaging too, not least because it’s well constructed – there isn’t a wasted line in it – and very well directed by Meneka Das.
Eleanor Lewis - Markaspen.com
"Dear Meneka....You have an instinctive and profound understanding of the play"
Alexi Kaye-Campbell (writer Apologia)
Little Box of Sweets - Feature Film (writer/director/actor)
"A promising first feature....... appealing echoes of Jean Renoir's The River.." Tom Dawson Channel 4
"..Filmmaking sisters Meneka and Sheenu Das debut with a touching, confident love story.....Treading the well-worn path of love that never runs smoothly, director Meneka Das still succeeds in creating a winning story that rejects Bollywood song and dance in favour of gentle drama" - Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
"..A simple, saccharine-free love letter to a fast-disappearing India… an impressive directorial debut by U.K.-based actress Meneka Das.....It's a movie of feelings and atmosphere, part eulogy to a "simpler" past, but without becoming an exotic postcard. Its simplicity is in the tradition of the '50s and '60s films of writer-director Bimal Roy.." - Derek Elley, Variety magazine
“…pleasant, lushly shot film” – Derek Malcolm, Evening Standard
We've Only Just Begun - Short Film (writer/director/actor)
Screened at festivals around the world including at BFI and Cinequest 'We've Only Just begun' follows Thirty something Indian sisters Rumi and Nina who journey to London in pursuit of their music dream. But working at an Indian Takeaway wasn’t part of the plan.
La Lune Folle (Crazy Moon) - Short Film (writer/director)
'When you face what you fear you become fearless'
After the loss of a loved one, timid Carly struggles to face her audition at a prestigious music conservatoire. As she awaits her turn in the empty corridor, a picture of a 19th Century young & confident woman on the wall catches her eye. Desperate to find courage Carly escapes into a fantasy. Imagining herself as the young woman, she is no longer afraid of facing her audition but also of letting go of even deeper fears.
Staring Dame Sian Philips 'La lune Folle' won Best Short at the Rajasthan International Film Festival and has screened at festivals around the world. It can be seen on Prime Video in the UK & US and globally on Indian platform Pocket Films
REPRESENTATION
Acting enquiries
John Setrice
MacFarlane Chard Associates
+44 20 7636 7750 phone
+44 20 7636 7751 fax
enquiries@macfarlane-chard.co.uk