Theatre has always been Karnataka’s lifeblood. From inspiring generations of internationally acclaimed theatre legends such as CR Simha and Girish Karnad to being home to bustling theatre spaces like Ranga Shankara and Jagriti Theatre, this city’s love for the art form seems to be undying. And with every passing year, this love seems to make room for more young and emerging talents. We speak to 13 such thespians, all under the age of 35, who are redefining the theatre landscape of the city.
Archana Kariappa, 34
Subject Matter Expert by day and theatre actor by night, Archana developed an interest in theatre after she received appreciation for playing a role in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth for a school production. Though she could not take up theatre as a full-time career, she fulfilled acting by joining Chennai Little Theatre after college. A production that she had been a part of won the runner-up position at the Short & Sweet Theatre Festival as well. When asked what makes theatre so special for her, she tells us, “I do not have to be myself on stage. I can leave all that I have in my personal life and be someone completely different. So, theatre sets me free.”
Arjun Ramesh, 28
Beginning his theatrical journey in 2020, Arjun’s reason for joining the world of theatre was beyond his passion for the art form. He had been interested in acting since his school days but always held back due to his fear of performing on a stage. He finally dropped his inhibitions when he was trying to engage in some activity during the pandemic and ventured into theatre. Three years hence, theatre helped this actor, who is a software developer by day, in more than one way. “It has taught me a lot about myself — from how my voice changes to how I react in a particular situation,” says the actor who has plans to act on screen in the future.
Avantika Gautam, 31
For this software engineer-turned-actor-and-acting-tutor, the theatre began as a medium to connect with people in a new city. But once Avantika joined Bangalore Little Theatre’s summer production, it did not take her long to fall in love with the art form and for all the right reasons. “Soon, I discovered that theatre is not just about acting — it’s also about learning more about body language, costume, staging and so much more. Most importantly, it gives you a certain sense of freedom to be anyone other than yourself. The act of performing for a live audience also gives me an adrenaline rush,’ says the actress whose Hindi production Namak was featured in META 2023.
Harshini Boyalla, 27
An architect-turned-full-time actor, Harshini has worked for several advertisements and independent films. However, her journey started from theatre and most interestingly, architecture was what gave her the segue. “When I first joined the theatre group I started with set design and costumes since I had experience in architecture,” she says. But what is it about theatre that makes her keep coming back despite the allure of performing on screen? “Theatre is the foundation, working in it feels like going back to school. Also, theatre allows an actor to be part of a story while it gets built, unlike any other form and I love that,” she reflects.
Hrishita Brahma, 20
The youngest on our list, Hrishita was bitten by the theatre bug very early on in life — she was an introverted child who found solace in theatre and cinema. The actor, who is working on a short film currently, aspires to study Drama Therapy in the near future. But what is it about theatre that she revolves her entire life around it, we ask. She says, “It’s empowering to perform in front of an audience. It’s much more difficult to perform in front of a live audience than it is to perform on screen. But the process of influencing a live audience, as an actor, is unparalleled.”
Naman Roy, 25
Naman’s love for theatre germinated during the first year of his college. He began his journey with street theatre, which he thinks helped him understand how people react to art, in person. The actor gave up his aspirations in engineering to pursue his passion for theatre and 12 productions later, does not regret it. Naman, who teaches theatre in schools now, tells us what theatre gives him, saying, “Even if two people take back something from my performance and it changes their lives in a small way, I would consider that success.”
Nazar Abul Hassain, 30
For some artistes, their art form becomes their home — their place of peace in the otherwise volatile world. This was what had happened in the case of Nazar, the actor who now teaches children’s theatre at the Tenbroeck Academy school. “I got into theatre because I was hurt,” he says. Having battled against conservatism and racism from early on in life, Nazar never really felt that he fit anywhere, until he joined theatre. On finally finding his peace in the world of theatre, he says, “I’ve grown up all by myself and that has made me grow very excited about expressing myself through stories. Theatre is the most satisfying thing in my life. There is not even a single day that I don’t love my job.”
Samragni Dasgupta, 25
A policy researcher with a focus on queer mental health, at a young age Samragni has already won audiences over with her performances beyond borders. But well perhaps that was overdue, given that she started her journey at the age of six! Along with two of her friends, she co-founded the theatre group Last Page Collective, where she not only acts but also directs and writes. She spoke to us from Munich, where she was performing the play Bhumikampa-Das Erdberden, in collaboration with Marvin Krause. “Theatre is volatile,” she reflects, “when you go on stage, anything can happen. The rawness of performing live makes it a visceral experience. There is something very grounding about theatre — it has the power to push you out of your comfort zone completely.” On being asked about her plans for the near future, the actor smiles and tells us that she aims at creating more work that is, “authentic yet not narcissistic.”
Shreyan Saraswat, 27
Actor Shreyan Saraswat’s love affair with theatre began when he was introduced to the world of cinema while in college. After working two years in IT, he quit his well-paying job to pursue a full-time career in theatre. Since then, he has been a part of 6-7 theatre productions and has acted in short films and web series such as Starting Troubles. A part of the Indo-German collaboration Border Busters, he is inspired by how theatre has helped heal his emotional wounds and aspires to introduce more children to theatre through his work as a theatre facilitator in schools across Bengaluru and Mumbai. “Theatre is the truth. We have a lot of agency on how the story will be told when it comes to theatre as opposed to films where there is a lot of commercial stakes. Plus, the live medium gives us more capacity to reach ourselves and reach the audience too,” he says.
Shubham Srivastava, 35
A business analyst by day, actor Shubham Srivasatva’s journey in theatre also began with a Bangalore Little Theatre summer workshop. His interest in films made his way into a passion for theatre and in his own words, he just, “wanted to get on stage and express himself in character.” However, theatre is not just a side hustle for him. “When you get on stage, the lights fall on you and you become another character — the feeling you get then — you can never get that from a day job,” says the actor, who wants to reach a wider audience beyond Bengaluru, in the future.
Soumya Pujari, 29
Hailing from Hubli, Soumya has always been interested in the performing arts. She started her journey in acting two years ago when she joined a theatre group in the city. A data engineer by profession, Soumya is also a trained dancer in classical forms and does a bit of contemporary dance too. With films such as Nam Naani Maduve Prasanga in her bag, she has huge aspirations for the big screen as well, yet she keeps coming back to theatre, “...because theatre keeps me alive. When I am acting on stage, I am just there — I am present,” she tells us about her relationship with the art form. Going forward, she wants to take up acting full-time, someday.
Tanya Ballal, 25
Dance is what has brought her to theatre, thinks this actress. Being a dancer since a very young age, Tanya wanted to explore a different performative art form. While pursuing higher studies at the University of Michigan, she became a part of the Educational Theatre Company. Now the co-founder of Last Page Collective, she produces and acts in the plays of her group. “Theatre is like something that gets into our muscle memory. The process — of collaborating with the actors and directors, the process of discovering a character and even yourself, little by little — is incredible,” she says when we asked what makes theatre so special for her.
Vilok V Kowsik, 33
Here is an actor who was the most unlikely to be. A shy and reticent youngster in college, Vilok never thought he would work in theatre until a professor cast him in a college production. He involved himself with several theatre workshops and productions post that, including a production of Chitrapata Ramayana where he played the role of Rama. But once he finished college, he focused on a career in banking and returned to theatre eight years later. Last year, he founded his theatre group — Fourth Wall Theatre. But what about theatre attracts him so much? “Representing a character on stage helps you connect so much to people at large,” he says, adding, “And getting out of your universe helps you grow more sensitive to other people and become a more grounded person from within.”
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@MallikPrattusa