MUMBAI: Renowned for his compelling portrayal of antagonists in films like Dushman, Sangharsh, and Mulk, Ashutosh Rana is making headlines as he reenters the theatre scene after 30 years. The acclaimed actor, synonymous with grey-shaded characters, is now taking on the iconic role of Ravana in the play "Humare Ram."

Reflecting on his return to the Delhi stage, Rana shares, “The last time I performed at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi was in 1994. That was my last production, and I was still studying at the National School of Drama (NSD). Three decades after that, I am now restarting theatre from here. It feels like life has come a full circle.”

Rana's desire to play Ravana dates back to his childhood in Gadarwara, Madhya Pradesh, where Ramleela performances were a tradition. He reminisces, “Humare Gadarwara (Madhya Pradesh) mein Ramleela hoti thi par main kabhi Ravana ka kirdar nahin kar paya because I was very young back then and the character needed maturity. Yeh bachpan ki khwaish ab jaake poori hui hai.”

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Nostalgia sets in as Rana reflects on his days at the National School of Drama. “Back then, the thought was that actors who wanted to do cinema were not serious about the craft, and I was told that NSD was not the right place for me... It was 1991,” he shares. Despite initial skepticism, Rana's dedication to theatre during his NSD days is evident. “Subah 5.30 se raat ke 12 baje tak bas NSD hi chalta tha. When I recently visited the campus, I saw a lot of change.”

The actor also indulges in memories of the food scene around the NSD campus during his student days. “Humare time pe Tansen Marg mein ek fast food wali bus hua karti thi jahan achha jamavda hua karta tha... NSD ke bahar ek juice centre hua karta tha, ek chai ki dukan hua karti... Ab tasveer badal gayi hai,” he concludes.

As Ashutosh Rana embraces the character of Ravana on the Delhi stage, his journey from NSD to portraying the king of Lanka symbolizes a rich and evolving connection with the theatre.

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Credit: Hindustan Times