There is no doubt that Indian Theatre is a gold mine of talent. This is where up and coming artists fine tune their skills and showcase their artistry. Some of the greatest actors who later made it big in mainstream have started their journey with theatre itself.
In fact, some of your favorite Bollywood stars began their career as a theatre artists. And while Bollywood is more about glitz and glamour than actual talent, we are so so grateful to theatre for gifting us with some of the most amazing stage actors that Bollywood has seen over the years.
We take a look at our top Bollywood actors who made a seamless transition from the stage to the big screen:-
Shahrukh Khan
The King Khan of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan spent his formative years on the stag at Delhi’s Theatre Action Group (TAG) while he was studying in University. The superstar learnt his acting skills under the mentorship of theatre director Barry John.
Kalki Koechlin
We don’t need to tell you how immensely talented Kalki Koechlin is. Just look at her performance in Margarita With A Straw and you’ll know what we mean! The girl is a powerhouse performer and its no wonder her roots lie in theatre.
Irrfan Khan
Another actor who amazes us everytime he is seen on the screen. But it wasn’t a smooth journey for Irrfan Khan. After graduating, he received a scholarship at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi. He later moved to Mumbai and did small gigs on television as well as theatre before making it big.
Kangana Ranaut
The ‘Queen’ of Bollywood Kangana Ranaut is a product of theatre too. Apart from doing various modelling assignments, Kangana took a liking to theatre and got trained under the mentorship of Arvind Kaur.
Rajkummar Rao
One of the most versatile young actors in Bollywood today, Rajkummar Rao is finally getting the recognition he deserves. While studying at the University of Delhi, the actor was also actively involved in theatre groups like Kshitij Repertory and Shri Ram Centre (SRC).
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
This man is absolutely killing it right now with each of his performances. Nawazuddin Siddhiqui is an alumnus of National School of Drama and worked with Sakhshi Theatre Group. It’s a shame really that it took so long for Bollywood to discover this gem of an artist.
