Opening act: On World Theatre Day, stars recollect their first play on stage

For them, it all began with their first act on stage that laid the foundation. It is theatre that has paved the way for some of Bollywood’s finest actors, shaping their craft and bolstering their confidence to own the big screen. On World Theatre Day, stars recollect moments when they stepped on to the stage for the first time.

Extra special: Richa Chadha

In Class 11, Richa Chadha first appeared a play called Aur Kitne Tukde. Directed by Kirti Jain, it featured seasoned actors from the NSD. “I was cast as an extra in a period play, which worked well for me because I got to observe amazing actors from the National School of Drama (NSD) from close quarters. That was a great learning experience. Interestingly, I had braces at that time,” she shared.

Patna act: Pankaj Tripathi

Based on a story by Bhisham Sahni and directed by Vijay Kumar, an NSD alumnus, Pankaj Tripathi’s first play was Leela Nandlal Ki. “The story is about a scooter that gets lost and the protagonist goes to the police station to file a complaint. I played both a cop and a thief,” he shared. Performing in front of an unfamiliar audience in Patna, Pankaj was pleasantly surprised by the positive response he garnered, despite his lack of training at that time.

First steps: Ali Fazal

Written and directed by American playwright Michael Puzzo, A Guy Thing marked the beginning of the theatrical journey for Ali Fazal. However, his very first experience on stage was in a boarding school in Dehradun, thanks to filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria. “I remember holding on to the light on the steps of the famous amphitheater of The Doon School and being tasked with the all-important task of uttering this single line – You blithering nincompoop,” Ali recalled with a smile.

Good sign: Abhishek Banerjee

Abhishek Banerjee discovered theatre during his school days, but honed his craft at Kirori Mal College (KMC), Delhi, through the prestigious Players’ Society —the same group that nurtured filmmakers like Kabir Khan, and actors like Siddharth and Divyendu. “I was not a very serious or good student, hardly attended classes and low marks was how it was. So, I wasn’t sure what to do in life. But one day, as I anchored an event, an irritated teacher said, ‘You’re only good for this.’ Others might have felt insulted, but to me it was a sign. I got into Kirori Mal College through an acting audition—the same college where the great Amitabh Bachchan was,” he recalled.

Lifelong gift: Shweta Tripathi

For Shweta Tripathi, it was an act by Yashpal Sharma on stage that kindled the fire for theatre in her. “There was a scene on top of a train and I fell in love with it. Another one was Graffiti, a musical choreographed by Shiamak Davar and directed by Roshan Abbas, which I remember vividly,” shared Shweta, who now owns a theatre company. Theatre also gave her a lifelong gift—her husband, rapper Chaitnya Sharma (Slow Cheeta)!

Quality matters: Akshay Oberoi

Akshay Oberoi’s theatrical journey started while he was studying at the Johns Hopkins University. He later trained at Stella Adler Studio (New York) and Playhouse West (Los Angeles). “Theatre is the place where I learned what good quality acting was. I dabbled in all genres and that helped. I am grateful to have gotten this opportunity to fulfill my dreams,” he shared.

Heart’s call: Parul Gulati

Parul Gulati started her acting career at a young age, but always felt a deep connection with theatre. She has performed in several plays and continues to train with her mentor Saurabh Sachdeva. Recently, she expressed her desire to produce a play. “Theatre keeps me alive,” she said.