THE stage EFFECT

CHANDAN ROY SANYAL TELLS JITESH PILLAAI THAT THEATRE HAS BEEN THERAPEUTIC FOR HIM

- JITESH PILLAAI

Chandan Roy Sanyal has been a theatre actor and a teacher before finding his feet as a Hindi film actor. He led a harsh life in Mumbai before striking it rich, depending upon the kindness of others to make ends meet. He did a small role in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti (2006), before gaining name and fame with Vishal Bharadwaj's Kaminey (2009), where his role as the deranged Mikhail was much appreciated. Of late, he was appreciated for his negative role in the hit series Aashram. In a bare-all interview, the actor comes clean about his struggles and more...

If you got the chance, what would you tell a young Chandan from 20 years ago today?

Actually, I would like to go back to when I was 24 years old, when I got the biggest opportunity of my life to perform for the Royal Shakespeare Company. I would tell that young Chandan to be carefree and relentless, to get rid of all baggage, and not to think beyond the present day. In fact, in my head, I am always trying to go back to that time.

You have a wistful longing to go back to the past. Does the baggage get you down a lot?

Looking at the past, I wouldn’t like to say that I was living in the dark and feeling like an unwanted child of God. Today I would say how beautiful it all was, and that’s the journey that an artiste must have.

Was theatre a healer for you?