The PGP80 alum recently starred in the anthology “My Melbourne”
By Arun Wakhlu, PGP 1980
Mouli and his wife Aradhana with Onir
Creative arts are the essence of Moulinath Ganguly, aka Mouli’s inner self, expressed through the emotions and drama of lives and situations. They mesmerise viewers and enrich their souls. Mouli is highly regarded as a creator, performer, dramatist, entrepreneur, international business leader, investor, and mentor. In Australia, he provides community service as a priest, celebrant, and multicultural advocate, with the growing influence and impact of the Indian diaspora there. He is a grandfather of five, and has lived in Australia over the past 43 years with his wife Aradhana, and his two sons, Shaun and Shoumendu. He is guided by Swami Vivekananda, who says, “The purpose of life is to realise our own divinity and manifest that divinity in our actions.”
It is my pleasure to write this profile as he is a dear friend of mine for more than 45 years, and I have witnessed his creativity from close quarters.
Mouli’s film journey builds on his learning and contributions in the theatrical and performing arts over the last 50 years. He started performing early in school, and learned all aspects of theatrical arts – acting, directing, script writing, and production, from talented performers and legends of theatre and screen. At IIT KGP (1973-78), he was the Governor of both Hindi and Bengali Technology Dramatic Society. He performed across India, winning best play, best director, and best actor awards. He experimented with many genres from musicals to classics to non-proscenium theatre (street plays).
At IIM Ahmedabad (PGP 1978-80), Mouli was the Cultural General Secretary and directed the eternal classic Little Clay Cart (Mrichakatika by Sudraka). Ahmedabad, in those days, was a small town where the National Institute of Design (NID) was situated nearby. The creative inspiration of NID students and staff expressed itself in the costumes and sets that brought to life the classical settings of the Mricchakatikam that Sudraka had painted so vividly, 300- 500 years before Christ. The IIMA thespians brought alive the immortal characters Vasantasena and Charudatta, where the fate of each is intertwined with that of another, leaving the audience poised at the edge of their seats. It is no wonder that this beautiful play was instrumental in bringing the richness of Indian cultural heritage to the Europeans through its French translation. The staging of the play involved great commitment from many in Ahmedabad. Our very talented and art-loving batch of PGP-80 somehow squeezed out time for the play despite our gruelling IIMA schedule.
A complete contrast was the play Juloos, a Hindi translation of Badal Sircar’s street play Michil. Juloos needed no props, and actors morphed into multiple characters. It was staged in the IIMA foyer with the cast mingling around with the audience, telling the story of political turmoil typical of that time and human conflict. It brought out emotive and powerful truths through the stories and people involved. The actors did an amazing job getting deep into the variety and depth of their roles to bring the characters and conflicts to life.
In 1986, Mouli acted and directed the first Indian language full-length play, “Kenaram Becharam,” in Australia. He has been involved in over 50 performances and productions in Bengali, Hindi, and English since then. Since 2022, Mouli has focussed on films. He has written/acted/directed seven short films. They screened in international film festivals and won a total of 7 awards including Best International Short Films and Script, and 16 final selections in a year. In 2024, he conducted a TIE
(The Indus Entrepreneur) workshop in Australia, arranged through IIMA alumni connections, with celebrated director Mira Nair on developing sustainable creative businesses. A documentary, “Beyond Boundaries,” where he plays the major protagonist, was released in Melbourne in March 2025 and at leading film festivals. This is based on the staging of Rabindranath Tagore’s renowned play Achalayatan, where he served both as the lead actor and co-director.
A CNBC review of My Melbourne highlighted by the Producers.
The “My Melbourne” anthology was released in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and India in March 2025 with rave reviews. Themed around the four pillars of diversity—sexuality, gender, disability, and race— it features four unique diverse stories based on true incidents. It is a truly inclusive feature film, celebrating diverse voices and talents. Four iconic directors, Onir, Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Kha,n and Rima Das came to Australia to tell real Australian stories with primarily Australian cast and crew. Mouli played the role of the Indian father in the story “Nandini”, directed by Onir, which deals with the estrangement between the father and son. “My Melbourne” was the brainchild of Mitu Bhowmick Lange (OAM – Order of Australia Medal), who, as the producer, has facilitated a great opportunity for Indo-Australian talents and championed relationships between Australia and India, across multiple domains, including business and culture. It was produced by her company, Mind Blowing Films.
Mouli’s accomplishments are not restricted to art. He has pursued an international business career leading international businesses and strategic programs for the likes of IBM, British Telecom, EDS, Telstra, and banks. He also mentored, advised & invested in several successful start-ups and early-stage companies.
Mouli balances his time for acting and filmmaking with grandparenting and the pursuit of spiritual ideals. All of us in our batch (PGP 80) and beyond are proud of you Mouli. Play on!
Arun Wakhlu (PGP 80) is an inspiring facilitator and coach. He has co-founded Pragati Leadership Institute and the Foundation for Peace and Compassionate Leadership. His books include Managing from the Heart, One Wholesome World, and Awakening Wholeness (with a Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama).
