The son of a preacher man and a carpenter woman, Bali was destined for a career in IT (how cliché!), but was lured to the stage from a young age. He is now a multidisciplinary director, producer, actor, developer/dramaturg and screen executive, working across screen and stage.

After working for an eon in bureaucratic and strategic roles to create the impact and change needed to reduce barriers for opportunities that all historically excluded communities experience in the creative arts industries, he excitedly leapt out as an artist again in 2022.

Bali made his professional directorial debut with National Theatre of Parramatta’s Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph in Feb 2022 to rave reviews, and followed it up with Sydney WorldPride Arts Festival’s Bollywood theatre offering, Sunderella, in Mar 2023.

He has produced several landmark productions including In The Space Between, Minority Box, Sunderella and the 2016 Griffin Independent production of Lighten Up by Bollywood star and Australian actor Nicholas Brown in collaboration with stand-up comedian, Sam McCool.

From 2018 - 2021, Bali was employed at Screen Australia as Industry Development Executive working across story development, production funding, creative talent development, industry & business strategy, and diversity equity & inclusion. See LinkedIn for comprehensive details.

He was selected for the inaugural Seeing Ourselves: Developing the Developers and freelances as a creative and strategic consultant for the Australian screen and theatre industry, working with Australia’s federal and state screen funding agencies, NZ On Air, independent producers, creative talent and industry guilds.

Bali sat on the MEAA National Performers’ Committee (April 2015 - Nov 2018), the elected panel of professional actors that represent actors on industrial matters, and was the Chair of the Equity Diversity Committee (Nov 2014 - Nov 2018), a panel of performers established to advocate for and address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in Australian performing arts. He consulted, advised and partnered with Screen Australia, Create NSW, Screenwest, the Screen Diversity & Inclusion Network, Australian Film Television & Radio School, Australian Writers’ Guild, Australian Directors’ Guild, Casting Guild of Australia, the Australian Labor Party, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, and several independent producers to create a positive change for the screen and live performance industries.

His international & debut performing credits include a British-Brazilian co-production called Festa! at the Young Vic Theatre in London, followed by a critically acclaimed season of STOMP’s Lost & Found Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Locally, he performed roles on the stage in Jatinga (KXT/bAKEHOUSE), Legally Blonde the Musical (Packemin Productions - Riverside Theatres 2018 & Willoughby Theatre Co. - The Concourse 2015), The Big Funk (TAP Gallery), Babies Proms: Bollywood Baby, Oneness: Voice Without Form (Sydney Opera House), Singled Out (Seymour Centre), The Lunch Hour (Darlinghurst Theatre with Siren Theatre Co) and In the Space Between (Cleveland St Theatre). On screen, Bali played the lead role in the award-winning short Letters Home, as well as featuring in roles in Top of the Lake: China Girl (BBC2), UnINDIAN, Legally Brown (SBS) and various TV commercials. In 2019, Bali starred in Over and Out by Adele Vuko and the Van Vuuren Brothers, Winner of Best Online Series for Cannes Series 2019.

In 2015, Bali was a Finalist as Young Professional of the Year for the India Australia Business & Community Awards, recognising his endeavours to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion become the norm for the arts & entertainment industry in Australia and beyond. Bali has worked tirelessly to advocate for under-represented communities in the screen, arts and media industry. He has an established track record in consulting and advising in story development and the engagement of members of under-represented communities in Australian productions.

With the incredibly vast and varied professional experience, coupled with the commitment to develop other leaders and honour the humanity in all aspects of his roles and collaborative relationships, Bali’s creative and strategic work is unique and delivers strong results from the start of a project, through to the finish line and beyond.