Theatre doesn’t really pay the bills, says TV actor Sumona Chakravarti

Sumona Chakravarti, who features in Kapil Sharma’s comedy show, The Kapil Sharma Show, talks about returning to theatre with her play, The Relationship Agreement.

Actor Sumona Chakravarti, who features in Kapil Sharma’s comedy show, The Kapil Sharma Show, is set to return to the stage after eight years. The 30-year-old actor, who started her career with an English musical titled Da Dating Truths, says, “I have been to the NCPA auditorium as part of the audience, but to go there as an actor is a different experience. It gives me a great high to be able to perform on stage. I used to be on the stage throughout my school and college days. So, I am literally returning to my first love”.

Sumona Chakravarti started her career with an English musical titled Da Dating Truths.(HT Photo)

The play, The Relationship Agreement, revolves around a couple and the rules they set for each other in their relationship. It has been helmed by Meherzad Patel, and Chakravarti will be seen alongside Danesh Irani, Sajeel Parakh, Meher Acharia Dar and Darius Shroff. The show will be held at the Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point on Valentine’s Day.

Speaking about why she took up the play, Chakravarti says, “Theatre doesn’t pay the bills. That’s a fact everyone is aware of. I had to look at my career and see if everything was alright financially. Today, I am in a position where money is great and [my career in] television is going well. Honestly, I wasn’t looking to do a play; this just fell into my lap. It was an amazing script and I just couldn’t say no to it. Finally, I had the time and didn’t need to bother about money. The whole reason I became an actor was to get back to the stage.”

In theatre, you have to deliver the same line and every single time you have to make it look like it’s your first.

- Sumona Chakravarti, actor

Talking about balancing work in different mediums, she shares, “When you start off with a brand new play, you have to devote a lot of time to it. When you’re doing a daily soap, then it’s not possible to do both. I was free throughout November and December [last year], so I indulged myself [in theatre]. Now, as the play is set, I can take up other work, since I need not rehearse every single day. It is challenging, but one has to be persistent.”

Having dabbled in television, films and theatre, Chakravarti feels theatre is the “most challenging of them all” but it’s close to her heart. She adds, “All three mediums are so starkly different. In theatre, you have to deliver the same line and every single time you have to make it look like it’s your first. If there’s monotony, the audience notices it. Also, there are no retakes. So, one has to have presence of mind and things have to be bang on.”