Q&A with Ruthi Lalrinawmi

Ruthi Lalrinawmi is an actor from Mizoram, India. Her affair with the stage began when she performed in Beauty is the Beast at an arts festival as an undergraduate at Mizoram University. She then went on to pursue postgraduate studies in the performing arts at the University of Hyderabad.

In university, she performed in several productions such as The Trojan Women and Raaz ki Baat. Ruthi also facilitated workshops on actor training in her hometown and worked with students on an original play based on the folk tale Liandova Te Unau.

Ruthi’s desire to deepen her understanding of theatre and her journey in it drew her to ITI. After graduation, she intends to work as a practitioner and develop the arts scene in her home region.

Ruthi is a recipient of the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship and a beneficiary of the Möbius Fund.

What were you doing before coming to ITI?

I was doing my Masters in Theatre.

Tell us how you came to know of ITI. What made you choose to come here?

I heard about ITI through my Acting teacher and alumnus Noushad Mohamed Kunju. With little hope and feeling puzzled about my future along with the constant support and advice from friends and teachers, I joined ITI hoping to gain more knowledge and build my confidence.

Think back to your first day here: what were some of your thoughts and emotions then?

It was exciting and I was ready to dive into a new world with people from across the world. I started having many dreams and plans of working with friends and staging shows in different countries.

What is it like to train here at ITI?

The training was rigorous, especially during traditional forms. Each of us has our own strengths and sharing our low points united us as a class. In classes such as Beijing Opera, my classmates and seniors were always ready to give me extra help with the language and movements. And I'm glad to see the helping hands have been reaching everyone till now.

What are the most memorable experiences you’ve had at ITI?

A memorable experience I hold dear to my heart happened a week before I started at ITI. I stayed in an inn with my friends, Karlwinn, Ismael and Kaleem. While preparing breakfast one morning, unsure of the best boiling method for eggs, we decided to put five into a bowl and microwave it. After a few seconds, the eggs exploded and made a mess all over the kitchen! We cleaned it up together and were so happy that everything turned out okay.

ITI is a home away from home. No matter where we come from, we have no one to turn to but each other, so always be ready to help one another and work through the conflicts together. Experience it, be crazy. Do not hold back. The training will be difficult but you’ll miss them when it’s over. Live the best three years!

How has what you’ve learnt here shaped or changed you as an actor?

The training gave me so much confidence in my body and my voice, which I used to be ashamed of. I better understand my strengths and weaknesses in performing and dealing with those around me. My friends and the people around me taught me how to appreciate even the smallest things and to always be grateful for support. Though Covid greatly impacted my batch, there are bonds as strong as blood that will carry on for a long time.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I intend to look for work opportunities and figure out how to expand connections within my own community. I want to work with children in schools and introduce theatre to more youths.

What would you say to a new student or someone considering joining ITI?

To my new fellow ITIans, ITI is a home away from home. No matter where we come from, we have no one to turn to but each other, so always be ready to help one another and work through the conflicts together. Experience it, be crazy. Do not hold back. The training will be difficult but you’ll miss them when it’s over. Live the best three years!

Any special thanks?

I am so grateful to every teacher and admin who gave me the chance to be in ITI. Thank you Sasi for believing in me and taking me in from audition till graduation. Thank you Beto for helping me go beyond my comfort zone and letting me explore my colours. Thank you Chin Huat for all the Movement classes that have moulded a great body that I’m proud of and the beautiful skirt for FYIP. Thank you Simon for seeing through me and giving me the confidence to stand in front of crowds and not ashamed of who I am. Thank you Wan Ching for pushing me to be more than what I thought I was capable of and helping me find my strength.

Thank you Khalid and Ruz who have been with me since Day 1, I might not be here if not for you guys; Hannah and Su Lin for working so hard to ensure we don’t starve and are able to have a shelter over our heads; Nabilah, Max and Weiyi for sharing beautiful photos and working hard behind the scenes so that we can have a good profile to show the world; Evelyn and Hendra for being there for us to complain anytime; and Uncle Chan for the beautiful music and cleaning everyday so we can have a clean environment.

I will forever be grateful for the Möbius Fund, which helps many students like me to be able to study without stress and do our duty as students. The Fund has produced many creators around the world.

I am honoured to have been chosen as a beneficiary of the Tan Chay Bing Education Fund Scholarship. It shows that I’m on the right track and I look forward to imparting the knowledge I’ve gained to the future generation of theatre-makers and like-minded peers.

To the Board of Directors who assist in strengthening ITI, no one would have reached this level if not for the belief and trust you have put into all of us here.

Profile photo and ASYLUM production shot by Bernie Ng