Vani Tripathi Tikoo is an actor, producer, teacher, author and cultural leader whose work spans theatre, cinema, television, education and public policy. Trained at Delhi’s Living Theatre Academy of Drama and under the legendary theatre director Ebrahim Alkazi, she has built a career deeply rooted in the performing arts and in the belief that culture can be a powerful instrument for social change.

With around 50 theatre productions, over 40 television programmes and six films to her credit, Vani has worked across a wide range of Indian and international creative projects. Her theatre practice has included works by Anton Chekhov, Peter Shaffer, Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams, alongside major Indian playwrights. She has also worked as an actor-teacher with the National School of Drama, with a particular engagement with Theatre in Education. She is the Founder & Director of Drishya Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a company dedicated to producing films and content based on Indian cultural narratives and literature. 

As a producer and cultural practitioner, Vani continues to champion Indian stories, artistic heritage, education and new forms of cultural engagement. Her book, Why Can’t Elephants Be Red?, extends this creative journey into authorship and storytelling.