London-based Indian actor, Mikhail Sen, on winning at ACTAS 2025, upcoming projects and more
In a career that fluidly spans continents, languages and mediums, Mikhail Sen is carving a distinct path as an actor, writer and now producer. Having bagged the Eastern Eye’s Best Actor – Theatre Award at the ACTAs for his outstanding performance in The Merchant of Venice for dual roles, his work reflects a deep engagement with identity, language and cultural nuance.
Raised in Bengaluru with roots in both Bengali and Gujarati heritage, Mikhail’s multilingual upbringing and early immersion in theatre have laid the foundation for a storytelling sensibility that is as syncretic as it is personal. We speak to the versatile actor to know more about his award-winning role and future projects.
Mikhail Sen bagged the Best Actor at ACTAS 2025
What drew you to the twin roles of Lorenzo and the Maharaja that won you the award?
I’m very grateful. Awards feel great in the moment, but what matters is using them as affirmation that I’m on the right path. Hopefully, it will open more doors and lead to more diverse and challenging roles. Both roles were very different, and I saw it as a chance to showcase my range. Lorenzo, in our adaptation, is a Bullingdon boy — Oxford-educated but still an outsider because of his skin colour, especially in 1930s England. He’s wealthy, yet excluded due to racism and classism. The Maharaja, one of Portia’s suitors, is also an outsider. There’s even a line, “mislike me not for my complexion,” that underlines this. Both characters explore themes of ‘the other.’ I drew inspiration from various sources for the Maharaja, particularly the Mysore Maharaja. The real excitement was in playing two outsiders in very different worlds, yet ones that still feel relevant today.
You’re also very good with languages — you speak multiple languages. In a way, does your multilingualism shape your approach to the characters you’re offered?
Yes, absolutely. I try to understand and connect with people and speaking their language or the way they speak is part of that. We recently made our first short film, Code Switch, which explores identity and how people change their language and behaviour based on their surroundings. It just got into the Raindance Film Festival in London and has screened at about 10 festivals worldwide. I co-wrote and coproduced it with my partner Isabel Wood and it’s been a meaningful step toward telling our own stories. Being multilingual has helped me absorb different cultures — I’m half Bengali, half Gujarati, grew up in Bengaluru and have lived in Delhi and Mumbai. India’s diversity in language and culture is a big influence on me.
You’re now producing and co-writing. You’re also a successful actor. What other art forms are you planning to pursue?
Writing has been exciting and I want to keep creating for theatre, TV and film — across all media. Since the pandemic, I’ve been doing a lot of audiobooks. Recently, I was asked to voice children’s books written by his holiness the Dalai Lama, which has opened up the world of audio and podcasting. Through our production company, we’re exploring podcast production too. I’ll continue acting, of course — it’s who I am. We’re also developing Code Switch into a full-length TV series after its success on the festival circuit.
What do you enjoy most about live theatre versus scripted screen work?
Theatre lives only in the moment — each show is unique and immediate. The audience plays an active role. In contrast, screen acting allows multiple takes and the final result is shaped in post-production. Theatre requires projecting energy outward; screen acting demands subtlety and truth, letting the camera capture your inner world. On stage, you play to the audience. On screen, you play to the lens.
You still play cricket and dabble in music. Which creative or physical pursuit do you turn to most and why?
Cricket is a big part of who I am. I play every Sunday — it’s my escape and brings the same focus I find on stage or set. I play for the Gaieties Cricket Club in London — Harold Pinter was once chairman. I also recently played for a team captained by Damien Lewis and scored a century at Arundel Castle. Until I was about 13 or 14, I wanted to be a cricketer before I chose acting.
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