Ashutosh Rana on returning to theatre after over 20 years with Humare Ram, Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava, spy universe
Ashutosh Rana talks about returning to theatre with Humare Ram, working with Vicky Kaushal in Chhaava and being the common thread in spy universe
Having done his last play in 2001, Ashutosh Rana returned to theatre last year with the play Humare Ram, where he plays Ravan. The play has completed 160 shows across India and is now coming to Mumbai. Ask him about his return to the stage and Ashutosh Rana shares, “It’s been fantastic and overwhelming. Theatre is about the truth of the moment, being alert all the time, and connecting and communicating with the audience throughout; that is the fun of theatre. You get to connect with the audience in cinema but not communicate.”
The thespian adds, “Theatre has been my training ground, and it has helped me connect and communicate with the audience. Theatre makes an actor alert, aware and attentive. A film once out, you can’t change anything with it. But with theatre, every show is different. As an actor, this exercise is very helpful.”
Talking about playing Ravan, he says, “I believe that if Lord Ram is God and if he had to take birth on earth to kill someone, he had to be something powerful. Kuch log hote hain jinko gyaan ka ahankar ho jata hai aur kuch logon ko ahankar ka gyaan hota hai. Jab aap Ravan ki drishti se dekhte hain, to aap Ram ki mohabbat mein zyada padte hain. To be a negative person and doing something negative are two different things, and we have looked at Ravan in Humare Ram in a different perspective. You will not find the Ravan that has always been shown in our show.”
Along with reviving the role of Ravan, Ashutosh is going back to the period era for Chhaava too, and he is all praise for his co-star Vicky Kaushal. “When you work with young blood, they help you evolve and never let you get obsolete. So, I get the same excitement working with them that I do with theatre. They keep me on my toes, and I experienced the same with Vicky. He is a fine and one of the sincerest actors in this time,” he says.
The actor also plays Colonel Luthra in the spy universe, and is the common thread in all the films in it: “Every film in the spy universe has been a success, so even Luthra has made a place in audience’s hearts. Otherwise, it’s even difficult to even get acknowledged when you are standing next to these super giants like (actors) Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan. All of them are such sensitive actors and they put themselves completely in their role and they treat it like a responsibility. The new entrants Alia Bhatt and Sharvari also are impeccable actors, and they focus on such minute details. They don’t let you feel bored. Just seeing them work is so exciting and inspiring.”
