NISHIMUSICWORLD.COM
  • Home
  • About
  • Music & Videos
  • Theatre / Film/Television
  • Law / Philanthropy
  • Contact

 Theatre / Film / Television  | N I S H I

Nishi stars as Lark in the upcoming new Amazon Prime series, Lark & Spur, a supernatural mystery series. Filming of the first 7 episodes of Season 1 were completed in 2021 and editing has been underway in 2022. Nishi's next feature project begins in 2023, where she has been cast as Nazim in a new thriller crime feature, Scarred, written by Nirmal Menon and directed by Bollywood's Aryan Vaid. Nishi has also been cast as Amber in a new thriller, Captive, by filmmaker Je-Kori Salmon set to film in 2023.

Nishi
 spent Summer 2020 filming the Amazon Prime feature film, The Mongoose, which premiered in 2021 and is currently on Amazon Prime. The Mongoose is the story of soulmates, Sonny and Pree, who very much want to have a baby together. The film uses metaphors and symbolism as it explores the lives of this couple, their friends and the deadly world of underground street fighting which plays a pivotal role leading to the film's climactic finale.​ 

Nishi filmed the award-winning feature, Quarantine Actually, in 2021 as the comedic Indian mother, Mrs. Gupta. Nishi portrayed this loveable character who is married to the seemingly always deaf Mr. Gupta and whose daughter, Maya, announces over Zoom one day that she is getting married to her white boyfriend, who has also been living with her during quarantine. Nishi has also been cast as Scarlett in the new TV series, Peoria, shot on location in Peoria, Illinois, and as the Gossip Girl like Narrator for the new Sci-Fi television pilot Basic Bitch Aliens, being produced by California Pictures and has also been cast as Cheryl Wolff in the musical feature film The Vaudevillian, and recently filmed a corporate video for Uber on rider safety. Nishi plans to finish producing her 1st Bollywood Music Video for her dance single, Steal Your Heart Away, in 2023 and will return to the studio with producer Shu Nakamura to finish recording her pop/dance album. 

Below are some of Nishi's works on film, television and theatre. Nishi worked with director and filmmaker John Chism on The Story of James the Just. In this 2.5-hour feature Biblical film, Nishi plays the Jewish Herodian Queen Berenice, a conniving, manipulative powerful woman who will do anything to protect her family. Clips from 3 of her scenes, which screened at a private screening on March 30, 2019, are below. In 2019, a short film Nishi co-starred in, Dosed, premiered at the Manhattan Film Festival and went on to win several awards at various film festivals nationwide. Nishi played Basette in this dark film about drug addiction and recovery.  Finally, 2 scenes from Nishi's award-nominated play, Cradle, are below. 
Picture
March 2019: Nishi co-starred in Cradle, a play by Jean Bergantini Grillo, directed by Michelle Macau and co-starring Paul Eisemann and Sandy Singh. Performances  were March 22-24, 2019 at Theatre 54, Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th Fl., NYC. Set in London, England, Nishi played Meena Shah, a 36 year old Muslim Bengali mother who grappled with the reality that her youngest daughter, Leela, had become radicalized and escaped to Raqqa to become an Isis bride. The 55-minute one-act showcased the relationship between mother and daughter, in the context of a Muslim Indian family affected by conflict between religious and cultural values, extremism and adapting to modern Western culture. The play was nominated for 2 awards including best director and best lead actress for a long one-act. 

Picture
In 2014, Nishi directed and produced her original musical play The Rajah's Son & Princess Labam. A 2.5 hour long, 35+ member cast Off-Broadway production, the large cast trained in stage combat and Bharatanatyam. The story of soulmates set in ancient India was a hit, earning positive reviews on BroadwayWorld and favorable media coverage. Nishi's most recent work can be seen on the New York Emmy award winning television show, We Speak NYC (formerly We Are New York). Directed by George Lavoo (Real Women Have Curves, Frisk, Blood Monkey), Nishi stars as Umme (the show premiered May 9, 2018 and airs on WNYE & PBS/WNYW. Previews of the episodes are below). Nishi is currently working on film, television & stage projects while also working to finish production on her album. Nishi is also working on her next play 'Salem - Retold' which she will cast, direct and produce in 2021.

Resume & Credits

Picture
Education:  St. John’s University of Law, Juris Doctor ‘02 |
                    
Focus: International Law, Trusts & Estates, Elder Law, Copyright & Trademarks

                 Binghamton University, SUNY, Bachelor of Arts ‘99
                    Major: Literature & Rhetoric | Concentrations: Political Science & Economics
Training:     HB Studio, NYC - Film, Television & Theater 2009-2012
                 Upright Citizen’s Brigade, NYC - Improv & Comedy 2011
Languages: Fluent: English & Malayalam | Conversational: Spanish
                 Studied: Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin & Cantonese

Skills: Music: Mezzo Soprano, Violin (10 yrs.), Dance: Bharatanatyam, Belly Dance, Tango, Salsa; Physical: San Da Martial Arts (2.5 years), Tennis; Firearms: .22 rifle, XD-90; Archery; Other: web designer, graphics designer; studied astronomy, archaeology, tarot, herbal & holistic medicine, palmistry.
Full Resume on Backstage  | Resume on Actors Access
Film & Television Credits: http://imdb.me/nishirajan
Member: ASCAP


Film & Television Work

We Speak NYC - Shumi's Pantry - Intro Clip to Episode 1 (2018)
Director: George Lavoo | Stars: Nishi Rajan, Arunima Roy, Isis Martinez
Nishi plays Umme, a Muslim Bangladeshi nurse who comes to NYC with her 2 daughters, Shumi and Rumi. In the first episode, Umme learns how she can take classes to help her get her NYS Nursing License. We Speak NYC airs on WNYW and WNYE Sunday at 3:30 p.m. EST throughout New York City and is sponsored by the Mayors Office to help immigrants in NYC learn English and everything that NYC has to offer.


Choices
- Drama (Short Film) 2017
By writer and director Jhaelyn Atreaga, Nishi played a protective Indian mother to daughter she was attempting to arrange a marriage for. On the night of an arranged marriage dinner date, her daughter reveals she is a lesbian.


Sid's Paralysis
- Supernatural Thriller (Feature) 2010
Director: Babar Ahmed | Stars: Nishi Rajan and Anup Sugunan

A man is visited by his ex-girlfriend. During the night strange occurrences lead them to believe that something supernatural could be involved. Filmed in 2010 and screened in New York City in 2012, Nishi stars as a woman who becomes "possessed" - features original music by the stars.
Interview on IndiaTalks Live, QPTV/Time Warner
Sid's Paralysis: one of the first scenes in the film, Kareena has landed in Los Angeles after 10 years apart from Sid, and they are  warming up to each other again in a debate. No script, entirely improvisational.
Sid hears Kareena call for him and finds her in a contorted posture. Being a typical 10 year old in a 30 year old's body, he gets a camera to film Kareena's nocturnal weirdness. No script, entirely improvisational.
We Speak NYC - Shumi's Pantry - Mother & Daughter - Episode 1 (2018)
Director: George Lavoo | Stars: Nishi Rajan, Arunima Roy, Isis Martinez
In this scene of Episode 1, Nishi's character Umme speaks with her oldest daughter Shumi about school, working, volunteering and how she worries about her daughter. The  bond between mothers and daughters is universal and goes beyond ethnicity, culture, religion and language. This scene captures the love and bond between the two. Filmed in June and July of 2017, this episode premiered May 2018.


Rupali v. Society
- Comedy (Short Film) 2017

From comedienne Zubaira Ahmed comes the story of a Bengali family with Americanized children, the oldest of whom wants to only do stand-up comedy and does not want to have an arranged marriage. Nishi plays Ammu to 3 little comedic terrors in this short 10-minute comedic film.


The Process
- Thriller (Short Film) 2011
Director: Ethan Sacchi | Stars: Clayton Stocker Meyers & Nishi Rajan

Nishi plays Tessa Long, a photographer obsessed with winning at all costs. Unknown to those who love her, Tessa has been breaking and entering into homes at night and drugging her competitors to study their works. Beautifully shot throughout Philadelphia.
The Process: Cafe Scene | Philadelphia 2011

Television / Film Stills


Theatre | Full Resume on Backstage (Members Access Only)

Flyers and promotional posters and photographs from a few of the plays Nishi has starred in. Not included are credits and recent performances in staged readings and staged adaptations or earlier credits from 2011-2014.
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by SiteGround
  • Home
  • About
  • Music & Videos
  • Theatre / Film/Television
  • Law / Philanthropy
  • Contact