Ahi Karunaharan

 

Born in UK, Bred in Aotearoa, Ahi Karunaharan has worked in the arts sector for various shows, venues, production companies and festivals both nationally and internationally since graduating from Victoria University of Wellington and Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School as an actor, writer, director and producer. Ahi's writing credits for stage and radio include The Mourning After, Anchorite, Light vs Dark: The Adventures of Rama, Swabhoomi:Borrowed Earth and My Heart Goes Thadak Thadak. Ahi's play Tea premiered in the Auckland Arts Festival 2018. 

Directing highlights include working for Prayas Theatre, an interactive outdoor extravaganza for Auckland Theatre Company and an immersive participatory experience for Auckland Arts Festival. He has worked with the Internationally acclaimed Theatre Company Tara Arts and collaborated and performed with various artists from Germany, Australia, Norway, Canada, India and Malaysia. Ahi was also an associate producer for Tawata Productions working on numerous award-winning productions and travelling with the company for planet IndigenoUS Festival at Toronto.

He is the founder of Agaram Productions, which curated and produced the first ever South Asian Writers Festival in Aotearoa. Agaram continues to be one of the leading South Asian Development Theatre companies producing new works and ongoing artist mentoring, development and leadership opportunities.

Ahi has been Artistic Curator for Short and Sweet Festival and freelances as a dramaturg, tutor, musician and administrator.

He received the prestigious Bruce Mason Award in 2018.