Hi, I’m Abhishek, a psychologist, expressive arts therapist, theatre actor and director, and someone deeply curious about people and stories.

I work at the intersection of mental health, creativity, and leadership. This means I spend a lot of my time listening to people, facilitating conversations, and creating spaces where individuals can be themselves. I am also a theatre actor and director. Outside work, I enjoy watching movies, music, long conversations, walking through cities without plans, and discovering how culture lives in everyday moments.

I travel less like a tourist and more like a listener. I enjoy slow travel, local food, shared meals, and conversations that move easily from silly to philosophical.

I appreciate kindness, humour, emotional intelligence, and people who are open to exchanging stories, perspectives, and experiences. I am equally happy exploring a city together or giving each other space after a long day.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I enjoy meeting people from different walks of life, understanding how they see the world, and sharing stories, perspectives, and laughter along the way. Some of the best memories come from conversations with strangers who briefly become part of your journey.

Interests

• arts
• culture
• books
• technology
• astronomy
• entrepreneurship
• psychology
• science
• travel
• theatre
• cultural exchange

Music, Movies, and Books

Music : My taste moves across worlds and moods. I grew up loving Western classical music like Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. Hindustani classical music is very close to me as well, especially artists like Kishori Amonkar, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. I often listen to Ludovico Einaudi and Max Richter when I want something reflective, and Sufi voices like Ghulam Ali and Abida Parveen as well. I can just as easily enjoy 90s Bollywood nostalgia or EDM. My playlists change completely depending on my mood, the city I’m in, or the time of night.

Books : I tend to gravitate toward philosophy, psychology, poetry, and theatre. I often return to existential writers like Kierkegaard, Camus, Sartre, Viktor Frankl, and Kafka, especially when I am thinking about meaning, freedom, and what it means to be human. Alongside that, I enjoy reflective non-fiction, plays, and writing that explores inner life, relationships, and identity. Books for me are less about finishing them quickly and more about sitting with ideas that stay long after reading.

Movies:
I enjoy contemporary world cinema and films that explore psychology, identity, and the strange complexity of being human. I often return to filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Aparna Sen, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Guru Dutt, along with Alejandro Jodorowsky, Darren Aronofsky, and Charlie Kaufman. I am drawn to cinema that feels intimate, poetic, or slightly surreal and stays with you long after the film ends. That said, I am not a film snob. I can just as happily watch mindless comedy, rom coms, melodrama, or comfort films depending on the mood, the company, and the snacks available.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Choosing a life driven by curiosity instead of certainty. It has taken me into theatre rooms, classrooms, boardrooms, workshops, and communities across different socio-economic strata, allowing me to meet people from very different worlds. Each experience has changed me a little along the way.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I can share conversations around mental health, creativity, theatre exercises, movement-based expression, and ways to use art for self-reflection and wellbeing. I also enjoy facilitating small reflective conversations, storytelling, or simply exchanging perspectives about life and culture.

Learn: I love learning how people live in different parts of the world, everyday rituals, local food, music, languages, and personal stories. I am always curious about new art forms, movement practices, and ways people make meaning in their lives.

Share: Good conversations, chai or coffee, stories from Mumbai, theatre games, music exchanges, and a respectful, easygoing presence. I am happy exploring together or sharing quiet coexistence after a long day.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good conversation, curiosity, and genuine cultural exchange. I enjoy sharing stories, perspectives, and listening just as much as talking. I can exchange music, film and book recommendations, or introduce some theatre and creative expression games if you are up for it. I am a respectful and independent guest who values personal space, shared moments, and the trust that comes with opening one’s home. Mostly, I hope to share kindness, laughter, and an easy, comfortable presence.