National School Of Drama
National School of Drama is India's premier government-run drama institution, based at Bahawalpur House in Mandi House since its founding, with a sprawling campus including an open-air theatre, publication house, and multiple performance domes. It runs Bharat Rang Mahotsav, described by reviewers as the world's largest theatre festival, alongside its formal training programmes. Many of India's best-known film and stage actors have trained here, and the school is as much a working cultural institution as a school.
What people praise
- Deepest review base of any acting school on this page, at 1,689 reviews
- Alumni network includes many of India's most recognised film and stage actors, per reviewers
- Reviewers describe consistently high production quality in staged plays open to the public
- Large campus with dedicated performance spaces and a public bookshop
Worth knowing
- As a national institution, admission is highly competitive and not a walk-in acting class
Our take: The most prestigious and most-reviewed name on this page, though it functions as a formal national institution rather than a casual acting class. Worth researching admission requirements well ahead if you're serious about a career path.

