In Pursuit of Joy

Former actor, theatre artist, voice-over artist, podcaster, and creative practitioner Shena Gamat talks to TMS about her journey and her initiative in Delhi, ‘It’s All Good’, a weekly series of events and activities on the science and art of joy.
Art table for collective creative explorations
Art table for collective creative explorations
Updated on
4 min read

"Joy is something we can find even in the hardest times. It’s about embracing uncertainty, learning from pain, and connecting with others over small and big things. We don’t need to suffer more than necessary,” says Shena Gamat, bringing a lifetime of artistic exploration to her initiative, ‘It’s All Good’ (IAG).

Shena’s creative journey has taken many turns. She pursued a liberal arts education abroad, studying physics alongside philosophy and theatre. “It was a mind-expanding experience,” she recalls.

“I accidentally, or fortunately, took a philosophy class at 17 or 18, and it completely changed my perspective.”

On returning to Delhi and joining Lady Shri Ram College to complete her education, she immersed herself deeply in theatre, pursuing English while continuing to perform and direct.

In the ‘90s, Shena, along with her then-husband Amit Saigal, founded The Rock Street Journal, a pioneering music magazine. After a decade in Allahabad, she returned to her first love: theatre. Shena co-founded Barefoot Theatre Company in Shahpur Jat, a space synonymous with experimental and engaging performances. “We made fun, interactive plays like I Love You, Let’s Have Sex, which tackled relationships and their pitfalls through humour and participation,” she recalls.

When her daughter, Dot aka Aditi Saigal, left for college in the UK, Shena entered a new phase of life—facing an empty nest and stepping away from theatre. “I had nothing left to say,” she says. “I felt I had to take a step back, reflect, and figure out who I was.

Everyone used to say, ‘But you’re a theatre person—why aren’t you doing theatre?’ But no, I am a person who also happens to do theatre.”

Dot aka Aditi Saigal performing at the event
Dot aka Aditi Saigal performing at the event

Making sense of things

The last five years have been marked by solo travel, writing, and meditation. “When you hit 50, you start taking a step back. The last five years have been a solo journey - lots of reading, and a lot of Jiddu Krishnamurti.” She started a podcast titled How Things Work Question Mark, delving into subjects like perception, suffering, and the human mind.

“I wrote 500 words daily for three months, which helped me make sense of things. Eventually, friends encouraged me to share my thoughts as a podcast,” Shena says.

This reflective journey culminated in IAG, a weekly series of events bringing together talks, performances, and interactive activities centred around the science and art of joy. The initiative was born from Shena’s desire to explore suffering and joy with others.

With a team of close friends, wherein one of the first two people Gamat reached out to were architect Parush Grover and mentalist Poshak Dua, IAG has grown into a transformative space where participants of all ages can come together.

“There’s a lot of science, philosophy, and art in what we do,” Shena explains. “We ask questions like, ‘What is time? What is suffering? Dream, space, death, play, relationships, stories, sleep, humour, health and fitness, illusion and reality,’ and explore them in a playful, interactive way, blending talks, performances, and discussions.”

The Sunday Series

Last Sunday, on October 13, the Arpana Fine Arts Gallery in Siri Fort Institutional Area buzzed with life as ‘It’s All Good’ kicked off its much-anticipated Sunday Series.

Between the hours of 3 and 7 pm, attendees were treated to an evening of creative delights, nibbles by Chef Ruchira Hoon, and beverages by Bili Hu Coffees. The atmosphere was an eclectic mix of playfulness and purpose, a testament to IAG’s mission to bring joy and a spirit of inquiry back into focus - by embracing imperfection and spontaneity.

People across age groups
People across age groups

Far from the polished gloss of a perfectly curated event, the evening was alive with the kind of happy chaos that makes life beautiful. Dot’s intimate musical performance, known for her old-world charm and lyrical deftness, captivated the audience with tracks from her critically acclaimed debut album Khamotion and popular singles like ‘Indigo’ and ‘Girls Night’.

Her heartfelt music created a soulful ambiance, while Poshak Dua, the ‘Head Hacker’, mesmerised the crowd with his mind-bending tricks, blending hypnosis, technology, and psychology.

His unique brand of scientific mind-reading left attendees flabbergasted, adding an element of surprise and wonder to the evening.

Shena Gamat’s Sunday Series is about nurturing space for planned yet unplanned moments—where the unexpected happens, and ideas have room to breathe and grow. It’s about embracing uncertainty, allowing space for vulnerability, and finding comfort in the shared experience of being human.

The October 13 launch was just the beginning. Looking ahead, IAG has a rich calendar of events lined up, including workshops, performances, exhibitions, and talks that promise to inspire and challenge in equal measure. It covers everything from cognitive, inquiry-based, and scientific explorations to artistic and immersive experiences that help participants unravel themselves and the world around them.

This Sunday, the Sunday Series promises another intriguing lineup. Kicking off with a somatic session titled ‘Viewpoints’ led by Prachi Sharma at 2 pm, the session will explore the relationship between space and time through movement. At 3 pm, physicist Bhavtosh Bansal will lead an engaging discussion on the fabric of spacetime in ‘The Question of Time’.

At 5 pm, interdisciplinary artist Manmeet Devgun will conduct an art workshop called ‘Mobius Stripping’, where participants will sculpt with materials, delving into the concepts of space and time. The day will conclude at 6 pm with a mesmerising performance titled Pulse of Silence by master percussionist Sina Fakhroddin Ghaffari, who will explore rhythm, melody, space, and time using the Iranian tombak and the Kurdish daf. Lite bites will be provided by Chef Gauri Gupta, and beverages by Bili Hu Coffees will set the perfect atmosphere for a day filled with joy, reflection, and exploration.

Visit instagram @ itsallgood.space to register for ‘It’s all..Space and Time’ happening on October 20 at Arpana Fine Art Gallery, Siri Fort Institutional Area

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