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Rashami Desai says ‘every stage feels like a board exam’ as she takes Gujarati theatre global
Actor Rashami Desai finds her US tour both challenging and rewarding, likening performances to 'board exams' for theatre artists
Actor Rashami Desai says her shift from Indian stages to international performances during her ongoing US tour has been both challenging and rewarding, calling each live show a test of her craft.
“Giving board exams” is how she describes stepping on stage abroad. “Not every day is the same for a theatre artist. Some days one dialogue will work, some day some other. This experience has made me realise theatre is so much fun and pacy; it’s the real medium,” she says.
She is currently touring the US with her Gujarati play Mrs Mara Online Che, which has completed over 100 shows in India and is now being staged in cities including New Jersey, New York, Atlanta and Boston. “I never thought that the show will be going to international locations; it brings a big responsibility to cater to an international community,” she says.
Amid global unrest, including tensions in West Asia, Rashami views art as an escape. “Nothing stops; the world didn’t stop having its right, wrong, good or bad. I am sure of one thing — art is a blessing in chaos and it has the power to bring peace,” she says, adding that despite possible disruptions, “people still want to watch and keep the life going,” with diaspora response “double” her expectations.
Speaking about audiences abroad, she says, “When it comes to ‘Indianness,’ the people living here carry a legacy… they are so emotional towards their culture and readily want to revisit their stories from back home.”
She also highlights the lack of attention theatre receives in India. “What lacks is the audience attention that is undisputedly inclined towards films and TV. I wish for people in our country to start watching plays as well and respecting theatre actors similarly,” she says.
On her current approach to work, Rashami adds, “I don’t believe in ‘jo dikhta hai wahi bikta hai’… it’s only the quality of work that matters. Medium doesn’t matter, only good characters are remembered… that’s why I just said yes to a TV project that is about a story I was looking for.”
