On World Theatre Day, we dive into the lives of Delhi’s theatre artists — driven by passion, yet struggling to sustain. No pay, no perks, just the love for the stage. Is it enough?
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00:00No pay, no perks, just passion and free chai samosa.
00:12Yet theatre artists keep coming back.
00:15Why?
00:16Let's find out.
00:24Imagine Bollywood actors Rajkumar Rao sipping chai after rehearsals and Pankaj Tripathi
00:29roaming these streets, script in hand, chasing dreams.
00:32They made it, but how many actually do?
00:36Every year, thousands arrive in New Delhi with dreams as vast as the city itself.
00:40In Mandi House, Delhi's cultural hub, places like the National School of Drama, Triveni
00:45Kala Sangam, Sriram Centre become sanctuaries for these aspiring actors.
00:51But dreams aren't easy to hold on to in a city as demanding as Delhi.
01:08The rent is high, opportunities scarce and rejection frequent.
01:12Many question their choices.
01:14Is it worth it?
01:29Delhi's theatre culture isn't just about grand stages or elaborate costumes.
01:34It thrives in small, intimate spaces.
01:37That's the magic of theatre.
01:39But magic doesn't pay rent.
01:40And in a city as expensive as Delhi, passion alone doesn't sustain dreams.
01:57Many actors, especially in community and fringe theatres, often receive no compensation
02:02at all.
02:15A survey revealed that 46.5% of performers had worked without paying theatre, highlighting
02:21the prevalence of unpaid roles in the industry.
02:31And that's the bitter truth.
02:33Most actors don't leave theatre because they want to, they leave because they have
02:37to.
02:38Yet, on stage, they are heroes, villains, lovers and fighters.
02:42The journey of an actor in Delhi isn't defined by success or failure, it's about finding
02:47beauty in the struggle.