Kolkata, Sep 20 : Veteran actor Kulbhushan
Kharbanda, who returned to theatre after a hiatus of 20 years, has
expressed happiness over the growing popularity of theatre.
"It
is good to see the audience numbers go up. They are appreciating theatre
in all languages," said the thespian, at the preview of Kolkata-based
theatre group Padatik's latest Hindi play "
Atmakatha" (Autobiography)
here Wednesday.
"
Atmakatha", an adaptation of
Mahesh Elkunchwar's
Marathi classic, brings together Kharbanda, Chetna Jalan, Sanchayita
Bhattacharjee, and Anubha Fatehpuria along with Vinay Sharma.
Kharbanda
plays the role of a famous writer who is penning his autobiography and
discovers how his relationships with the three women in his life -- his
wife, his sister-in-law and a scribe -- have evolved.
Kharbanda's last venture on stage was "
Sakharam" in 1991.
Best
known for portraying the villain Shakaal in the 1980 Hindi movie
"Shaan", he has received critical acclaim for his roles in parallel
cinema, notably Mahesh Bhatt's "Arth" and Deepa Mehta's Elements trilogy
- "Fire" (1996), "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).
"It is
difficult to say which role was the most memorable. They were all so
different and equally satisfying," said the actor, who is also one of
the founders of Padatik.
Prior to his acting career, Kharbanda has had a productive experience as a theatre artist.
"I
was part of the groups 'Abhiyaan' and 'Yatrik' during my Delhi days.
Later on, I moved to Kolkata and worked with Padatik. It is pure
nostalgia for me," reminisced Kharbanda.
Known for capturing intense moments with elan, he has equal fondness for both cinema and theatre.
"Both
are different media. Cinema is more of director's medium whereas
theatre is partial to the actor. But I enjoy both as long as I am happy
with the roles," said the 68-year-old.
In spite of having three Hindi movies in his kitty, the actor wishes to do more theatre.
"I will never say no to theatre. As long as people want to work with me, I will keep at it," affirmed the actor.
© IANS 
