Vijaya Mehta is a Indian Marathi language theater and film director. Her performance in Shakespeare’s Othello during her final year at Wilson College, Mumbai in 1953 impressed Ebrahim Alkazi. He invited her to train under him in theater group. Ebrahim Alkazi was an Indian Theater Director and Drama teacher. He was director of National School of Drama New Delhi. Then Vijaya Mehta’s training under Adi Marzban. Adi Marzban was an Indian Gujarati Parsi playwriter, actor, director in Parsi Theater.

What she learnt from these two directors served as the foundation on which she built her own practice. She first tasted professional Marathi language Theater in 1955 in the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh Production.

In 1960 she set up Theater called “Rangayan”, which became a pioneer of the experimental Theater movement in Maharashra. In Rangayan only a limited number of shows of each play, however successful and move on to the next. Some of its acclaimed production were Lonesco’s chair in 1962. Tendulkar’s ‘Mi Jinkalo Mi Harlo’ i.e. ‘I win, I lost’ in 1963 and Shantata Court Chalu Ahe i.e. ‘Silence the court is in session’ in 1967. She directed and acted in three plays included Sai Paranjape’s Jasivandi i.e. ‘Hibiscus’ in 1975. Jayawant Dalvi’s “Barrister” in 1977 and Savitri in 1981. Anil Barve’s “Hamidabaichi Kothi” i.e. “Hamidabai’s Chamber” in 1978. Mehta not only directed the play but also played the title role in it. Her sensitive performance as older women in Dalvi’s Sandhya Chhaya i.e. “Evening Shadows” in 1973. Mahesh Elkunchwar’s “Wada Chirebandi” i.e. “Old Stone Mansion” in 1985.

She introduced Bertold Brecht into Marathi Theater. She collaborated on Indo German Theater Projects with German Director Fritz Bennewitz. She introduced traditional performance of Bhasa’s ‘Mudrarakshas’ with German actors.

As the hostess in Govind Nihalani’s film “Party” in 1984 Vijaya Mehta won Best Actress Award in Asia-Pacific Film Festival. Party was the official Indian entry to the 32th International Film Festival of India, New Delhi. She also directed Film ‘Smritichitre’ i.e. “Memory ” . Rao Saheb from Dalvi’s Barrister, Hindi drama Film directed by Vijaya Mehta. At the 33th National Film Awards for 1985 Vijaya Mehta won best supporting Actress for this film.

She was awarded the 1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi award for excellence in Direction in 1986. 2013 Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna give to Vijaya Mehta. In 1993 she was appointed Executive Director, National Center for the performing Arts, Mumbai.