Vashisht has played the lead roles in the avant-garde cinemas (notably
Kumar Shahani and
Mani Kaul films), the middle of the road cinemas (Notably
Govind Nihalani's films) as well as in successful big budget Bollywood films. She has worked in theatre as actress and director too. She researches and writes her scripts as well. Since 2004, she has performed her solo play in English and Hindi, titled,
Lal Ded, based on life of medieval Kashmiri mystic
Lal Ded, all over India. Vashisht has written and produced three short films, as well as a serial for television. She was the executive producer of the film
The Name of a River, a BFI (London) - NFDC (India) - Bangladesh film co-production. In June 2001, Vashisht established Mandala, which is a space for arts collaborations research and education. Its aim was to spearhead a new movement in the arts, to centre stage and individuate the performing arts in society and to aid artistic collaborations. Her first project under Mandala however took an unusual twist. A chance theatre workshop that she conducted with trafficked minors in a remand home in Mumbai led to four years of her full-time involvement with the cause of self- empowerment and rehabilitation of trafficked minors. (trafficked minors i.e. minor girls rescued from prostitution from the city brothels). As artistic director of Mandala she created Mandala TAM (theatre arts module), which is a methodology and a training process based on the performing arts that proved to be highly successful in helping the trafficked minors to heal and transform mentally, physically, emotionally and intellectually. In 2023, she was appointed by the state of Haryana as the Chairperson of the Governing Council of Haryana Film and Entertainment.
Theatre She has performed in the 75 minute solo theatre performance
Lal Ded, based on the life and poetry of the iconic woman mystic and poet of Kashmir
Lal Ded.
Lal Ded performances have been invited to and featured in the following National/International theatre festivals in India and abroad. • 2004: World Human Rights Day for the NGO 'Akshara', Mumbai. • 2005: The Hungry Heart Int. Theatre Festival, India Habitat Centre, Delhi. • 2006: The Hungry Heart International theatre festival, Delhi. • 2006: World theatre day, Pune. (Alliance Francaise) • 2007: National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai • 2008: Baharangam (the Int. theatre festival, NSD Delhi) commemorating NSD's golden jubilee year. • 2008: International Sufi Festival of Performing Arts, Srinagar, Kashmir. • 2008: National Theatre Festival, Dehradun • 2008: World Performing Arts Festival, Lahore, Pakistan. • 2009: North Zone Cultural Centre Festival, Chandigarh.
Film and television Vashisht has produced and directed television programs and documentaries. In 2012 she directed the documentary film
She, of the Four Names, commissioned by Public Services Broadcasting Trust, India. (PSBT) based on
Lal Ded. In recent years Vashisht played a key role in
Ekta Kapoor's
Kahani Ghar Ghar ki. She played the role of the principal on the show
Suvreen Guggal on Channel V India and Akbar's evil stepmother in the serial,
Jodha Akbar on Zee TV. She was appreciated by the audience for her negative portrayal of Jethi Maa from TV Series
Kaala Teeka. ==Selected filmography==