Teleplays are redefining the grammar of popular entertainment, says Chandan Roy Sanyal

The star of Zee Theatre’s riveting crime thriller ‘Shadyantra’ is happy that theatre is now becoming more accessible than ever before

Hyderabad: Well-known actor Chandan Roy Sanyal could have chosen an academic career after graduating with honours in mathematics but instead chose a creative path. A workshop with the iconic Habib Tanvir sparked a love for theatre in him and today apart from working as an actor on the big and small screen, he also runs a theatre company called Proscenium.

The star of Zee Theatre’s riveting crime thriller ‘Shadyantra’ is happy that theatre is now becoming more accessible than ever before thanks to teleplays.

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He says, “Many years ago when I worked in London for a few months as part of theatre director Tim Supple’s troupe, I learned that The Royal National Theatre, a very prominent performing arts venue, streamed its plays online. I am thrilled that Zee Theatre and Zee5 have also made it possible now for Indian plays to reach viewers in different parts of the world. Teleplays are truly redefining the grammar of popular entertainment and winning over even those who may never have explored theatre as an entertainment option before.”

About the experience of working in ‘Shadyantra’,’ he says, “It is a very well-directed play and my character is etched as someone who is very verbose and overconfident. Then comes a point where he realises he is not as powerful as he believed himself to be. I had a great time working on this part with my co-star Hina Khan who is debuting in theatre with this play and really committed herself to her role.”

Chandan believes teleplays are giving the audience an opportunity to savour different storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and formats and says, “Teleplays are not always linear or predictable. They also engage with unusual themes that the audiences may never have seen before and can play a catalytic part in popularising live theatre and broadening its reach and popularity among both committed and nascent theatre enthusiasts.”