World Theatre Day 2025 — 7 Bollywood Actors Stage Debuts And Their First Ever Play

On the occasion of World Theatre Day, some of Bollywood’s well-known stars look back at their first experiences on stage.

World Theatre Day 2025

Richa Chadha: Richa Chadha fondly recalls her first professional play, Aur Kitne Tukde, which she performed in while she was in the 11th grade. Directed by Kirti Jain, the play featured seasoned actors from the NSD repertory. "I was cast as an extra, which worked well for me because I got to observe amazing actors from the National School of Drama (NSD) at close quarters and learn from them. Also, I had braces, and it was a period play," she reminisced. (Image Source: Special Arrangement)

Pankaj Tripathi: Pankaj Tripathi’s first play was Leela Nandlal Ki, based on a story by Bhisham Sahni and directed by Vijay Kumar, an NSD alumnus. "The story is about a scooter that gets lost, and the protagonist goes to the police station to file a complaint. I played both a cop and a thief. It was my first play," he shared. Performing in front of an unfamiliar Patna audience, Pankaj was pleasantly surprised by their positive response despite his lack of training at the time. (Image Source: Special Arrangement)