On World Theatre Day, Chandan Roy Sanyal says ‘real artists don’t chase money’
Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) On the occasion of World Theatre Day, actor Chandan Roy Sanyal shared his deep passion for theatre and highlighted the rich heritage of the art form in India.
While acknowledging the country’s historic theatre culture, he also emphasized the need for greater support to help it flourish. He told IANS, “Theatre in my country is one of the oldest forms of art in the entire world, and we have an amazing theatre culture, history, and industry. However, he noted that despite this legacy, theatre has often been sidelined.
“Somehow, we have lost as a poor form of art… I don’t know why. More support should pour in from the government. Though the audience for theatre is there, I think theatre should be taught in schools from Class 1.”
Sanyal also spoke about the essence of true artistry, stating that for a real theatre artist, money and recognition are secondary. “I don’t think there is any struggle for money because the real artist will not think about money and recognition. It comes automatically. Because you work for the art, I don’t think it’s about money.”
Reflecting on his most memorable stage experience, the ‘Aashram’ actor recalled performing at one of the oldest theatres in the UK. “That moment was truly special, a testament to how theatre connects artists across cultures and generations.”
For the unversed, before giving stellar performances in “Kaminey” and “Aashram,” Chandan Roy Sanyal was deeply immersed in the dynamic world of Delhi’s theatre scene. A mathematics graduate from Zakir Husain College, he credits his time on stage for shaping his bold and unconventional approach to acting.
His passion for theatre took him beyond India, landing him in England as part of a prestigious Royal Shakespeare production. Traveling across the globe, he brought Shakespeare’s timeless works to life. During this period, theatre was his sole focus, and he even considered making London his artistic home. He came close to breaking into the renowned West End Theatre scene, with plans nearly set for a production at the iconic Piccadilly Theatre.
Meanwhile, Chandan recently reprised his iconic character, Bhopa Swami, in “Aashram Season 3 Part 2.” The show features Bobby Deol as the manipulative and sinister Baba Nirala, who exploits the young women in his ashram. The second part of season 3 of the show was dropped on February 27 on Amazon MX Player.
–IANS
ps/
