Shekhar Sen, Singer, Actor, Director
Singer, Actor, Director

Shekhar Sen

Born 16 February 1961 ยท Chhattisgarh

Created and performed the musical trilogy on the life of Saint Kabir.

Shekhar Sen is a singer, a music composer, a lyricist, and an actor.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Shekhar Sen performed over 1000 solo musical theatre shows worldwide, embodying multiple historical figures without any supporting cast or band.

The Story

1
๐ŸŽญ In 1998, Shekhar Sen reinvented Indian theatre by creating monoact musical plays like "Tulsi" and "Kabeer," performing each role solo while composing and directing his own music in Mumbai.
2
๐ŸŽค Between 1983 and 1998, he released over 200 bhajan albums, blending his skills as a singer, lyricist, and composer, marking a prolific phase of devotional music production.
3Born in Raipur in 1961 to two classical musicians of the Gwalior Gharana, Shekhar Sen absorbed deep musical traditions at home before moving to Mumbai in 1979 to pursue composition.
4๐ŸŒ His one-man shows have toured extensively across continents, with performances in over a dozen countries including the US, UK, Belgium, Singapore, and South Africa, reaching diverse audiences since 1998.

๐Ÿ… Awards & Honours

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Padma Shri

๐Ÿ” One thing most people don't know

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In 2013, Shekhar Sen took on the difficult role of a blind poet in his mono-act play "Soordas" at NCPA Mumbai, exploring the concept that the blind perceive the world in 360 degrees compared to the 180 degrees of the sighted.

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Through the Years

2 photographs from the archives
Shekhar Sen attending a function, clearly visible in the portrait image (2013).
Shekhar Sen attending a function, clearly visible in the portrait image (2013).
2013
Shekhar Sen receiving the Padma Shri Award from President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan (2015).

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ A Life in Moments

๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ
Birth
Born in Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Shekhar Sen was born into a Bengali family of classical musicians, with both parents as esteemed singers and musicologists of the Gwalior Gharana.
1961
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Career
Moved to Mumbai to compose music
Shekhar Sen relocated to Mumbai aiming to become a music composer, marking the start of his professional journey.
1979
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Career
Released first bhajan albums
He began producing and singing bhajan albums, eventually releasing over 200 devotional music collections.
1983
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Career
Created first monoact musical play
Shekhar Sen launched his signature one-man musical plays, starting with titles like "Tulsi" and "Kabeer," combining acting, singing, and composing.
1998
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Career
Performed 'Kabeer' at Lok Sabha
Shekhar Sen presented his spiritual musical play "Kabeer" inside the Indian Parliament, bridging art with governance.
2005
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Career
"Soordas" premiere at NCPA Mumbai
He debuted the monoact play "Soordas," portraying the blind poet and exploring unique perceptions of vision and reality.
2013
๐Ÿ…
Award
Received Padma Shri and became SNA Chairperson
Awarded the Padma Shri in Arts and appointed Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, leading India's foremost performing arts institution.
2015
More moments to come...
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๐Ÿ—๏ธDiscoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
๐Ÿ†ACHIEVEMENT

Since 1983, he has composed and sung more than 200 bhajan albums, a vast output marking decades of devotional music production.

02 / 04
๐ŸŒHISTORICAL IMPACT

Shekhar Sen performed his play "Kabeer" at the Lok Sabha on 4 May 2005, a rare instance of theatre intersecting directly with the Indian Parliament's proceedings.

03 / 04
๐Ÿ‘คPERSONAL

His parents were both renowned classical singers and musicologists from the Gwalior Gharana, embedding him in a rich musical heritage from Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

No quote recorded for Shekhar Sen yet.

๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
SHEKHAR SEN : THERE SHOULD BE A VIVEKANAND KENDRA IN EVERY HUMAN MIND
ยทYouTube
More from this archive
SHEKHAR SEN : THERE SHOULD BE A VIVEKANAND KENDRA IN EVERY HUMAN MIND
01
SHEKHAR SEN : THERE SHOULD BE A VIVEKANAND KENDRA IN EVERY HUMAN MIND
YouTube
Shekhar Sen on why he chose 'Kabeer' for his mono act
02
Shekhar Sen on why he chose 'Kabeer' for his mono act
YouTube
Shekhar Sen in conversation with Atul Tiwari | eNatya Chaupal - @ The Drama School, Mumbai
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Shekhar Sen in conversation with Atul Tiwari | eNatya Chaupal - @ The Drama School, Mumbai
YouTube

๐ŸŒฑ What changed because of them

Shekhar Sen pioneered the genre of monoact musical plays in India, creating a unique hybrid of theatre and devotional music that brought poets like Kabir and Tulsidas to new audiences. His leadership as Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi since 2015 has influenced policies promoting Indian classical and folk arts. By performing in diverse international venues, he expanded the global reach of Indian spiritual and theatrical traditions.

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