World Theatre Day: How theatre shaped stars like Pankaj Tripathi and Richa Chadha 

Every year, World Theatre Day reminds us of one of the secrets the film industry guards closely: The best screen actors often come from the stage rather than a movie theatre. Theatre can cut away all the distractions and present a raw form of acting which is 100% instinct, discipline, and truth. And for many of the most subtle performers in Bollywood today, their first experiences on stage gave them these very attributes. 

Their journeys aren’t just career trajectories; they’re proof that theatre doesn’t just train actors, it shapes them. Here’s a closer look at some of the performers who carried the soul of the stage into the spotlight: 

Pankaj Tripathi 

When it comes to the power of theatre, there is no one better than Pankaj Tripathi. He started his life in the performing arts in Patna during the late 1990s while juggling a series of jobs just trying to make a way for himself within the community of theatre. After graduating from the National School of Drama, he was able to catch a break with films such as Gangs of Wasseypur. The result of theatre on this actor is that he doesn’t act; he becomes the character(s) he plays on screen. That rooted stillness he brings to every role? Pure stage discipline. 

Ali Fazal 

When he first began performing in theatre at age 13, Ali Fazal was an untrained performer trying to find his way in the world. Acting became a way to escape from sports after being injured playing tennis. By taking on Shakespeare as one of his first roles, he started to learn how to command language and presence, something that still connects him to the various forms of visual storytelling that exist today between independent films and global series. 

Richa Chadha 

Richa Chadha is an actor who has a strong edge with every performance she gives. She is unapologetically real, layered, and not afraid to take risks. That authenticity comes from her theatre roots through studying under the world-renowned Barry John. Theatre not only gave Richa technique but also helped to build her confidence. The unpredictability of the many characters she has played in films such as Fukrey and Gangs of Wasseypur carries a certain unpredictability that feels deeply theatrical in the best way. 

Shweta Tripathi 

Before Masaan became a breakout hit and made Shweta Tripathi a household name, she was very much involved in the theatrical culture of Mumbai – acting and producing plays, as well as starting her own production company called All My Tea Productions. Shweta’s exposure to the world of theatre has provided her not only with acting skills, but has also provided her with a way to develop her performance to include a sense of intimacy, no matter the platform, be it an indie film or OTT. 

Adarsh Gourav 

Adarsh is an actor who represents new-age acting grounded in old-world foundations. As a trained actor at The Drama School Mumbai and years on stage before acting in films, his performances and especially those in international productions display extensive internalisation, characteristic of theatre actors who understand both silence as well as dialogue. 

Gulshan Devaiah 

Gulshan started part of the thriving English theatre circuit in Bengaluru before becoming Bollywood’s first choice for unconventional roles. And through his time in groups such as Forum Three, Gulshan developed a performance style based on unpredictability. To this day, his performances continue to possess that experimental energy that comes with years of performing to live audiences, as well as taking creative risks. 

The beauty of theatre is its rawness; there are no edits, there are no filters. The only thing present on stage is an actor and their truth. It is this honesty that allows actors with a theatre background to create long-lasting impressions. They don’t chase moments; they build them. 

On World Theatre Day, these journeys remind us that while cinema may offer scale, it is theatre that gives actors their soul.