A rebel at heart, Ritu dramatically shifted from the traditional paths available for women in the rural Indian town where she was born and raised. While completing her higher education, she broke conventions and participated in the esteemed Miss India contest and explored her passion for acting. Success at the contest for her artistic, intellectual and spiritual breadth led her to an exciting acting career in Mumbai. Again breaking the mold, Ritu left her burgeoning career in Mumbai to break ground in New York where she graduated from the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and continued training and working with veteran acting coaches Austin Pendelton, Terry Schrieber and Anthony Abeson. Ironically, rather than finding freedom in New York to explore challenging new roles, Ritu found herself more pigeonholed as a minority woman. Energized by this challenge, Ritu created Durga Entertainment, through which she is developing a slate of projects that transcend the industry stereotypes in favor of more complex stories about women. Durga holds a vested interest in uncovering stories outside of the mainstream, especially those centered around strong female characters. Ritu's rebelliousness against conformity and her adventurous life built around disparate geographies and cultures has given her a deep appreciation for humanity and its challenges. She acted opposite Bill Pullman and Hiam Abbass in May In The Summer, which premiered opening night at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Show less «