Theatre should be on everyone’s agenda: Rajeshwari

By Natalia Ningthoujam

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) National Award-winning actress Rajeshwari Sachdeva has perfected the art of balancing plays with TV shows and films. She enjoys every medium of acting, but feels that theatre should be on everyone's agenda as it keeps the actor in the person alive.

The actress, who has been in the profession since the 1990s, is currently busy with two plays -- "Gohar" and "Shabd Leela".

"I think theatre should be on everyone's agenda. It is a great learning experience that keeps you alive. It keeps the actor in you alive. Sometimes, one has to push himself or herself and sometimes one has to feel the fear.

"When we feel the fear on stage, that brings out the best in us. Or if it is creating trouble for you, then you are going to learn something from your mistake. Apart from that, it is an exercise," Rajeshwari told IANS in an email interview.

Though she believes in spontaneity, she feels people need to rehearse before going on the stage.

"Rehearsal makes one perfect. It is amazing indeed when you bring out something new from the hat each time on the sets because when we do same things regularly and on routine basis, it becomes quite challenging to bring something unique every time.

"Each time you have to keep pushing yourself on the stage to deliver the best performance. Also, interacting with a live audience is an amazingly different experience.

"Theatre doesn't have a phenomenal reach as compared to movies. We have an audience that's limited to 100-200 people. But that is also a different feeling and something important to experience."

Talking about reaching a wide audience, she has joined the cast of the show "Dil Hi Toh Hai" as a replacement of actress Poonam Dhillon.

"I am not aware of any changes in the character. I am simply following the brief given to me by the creative team," she said.

"Dil Hi Toh Hai", which also stars Karan Kundra and Yogita Bihani, is a "great team" to work with.

"At present, I have just begun working with the team and everything seems absolutely fine. It gets a bit hectic while shooting but we have to manage it all the way and we are successfully doing so," she shared.

There are certain actors who continue their association with a show for five years or more, but Rajeshwari is not one of them. She featured in shows like "Peshwa Bajirao" and "Balika Vadhu" for a brief period of time.

The "Hulle hullare" singer has multiple reasons for not taking up television shows on a regular basis.

"Due to the format of the evolving entertainment industry, we are heading towards web series and we have episodic line-ups. We have 12 episodes and they are more than welcome.

"But when you commit yourself for one year to a television show, you know you have to do it day in and day out and shoot for at least 15 days a month. The commitment level is high because no matter what the situation is, you have to be there doing you part. Problems come and go, we have to manage things the best way we can. But television has a great reach so that's a plus point," she said.

Among films, she has a Marathi movie titled "Ek Sangaychay - Unsaid Harmony" coming up.

"I thoroughly enjoyed working on 'Ek Sangaychay - Unsaid Harmony'. Director Lokesh Gupte is the visionary who formed the script as well. He is very good at his job and is convinced about what he is making. This reflects perfectly in his scripts," she said.

Working with him has always been very comfortable for her.

"As an actor, it is imperative that you communicate with the director because one needs to present their vision on the screen," she said, adding that Gupte knows how to get the best out of his actors. "I think it helps that he himself is a very good actor and an editor."

"Also, the director of photography is a calm person to work with. Things moved very smoothly and the production was well executed. Everything happened on time and we finished everything before schedule."

She also heaped praise on her co-star Kay Kay Menon. "He is a wonderful guy, apart from being such a great actor."

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)