This Article is From Nov 07, 2015

Why Rishi Kapoor Wants to Act in Plays But is 'Afraid' to Do So

Why Rishi Kapoor Wants to Act in Plays But is 'Afraid' to Do So

Rishi Kapoor photographed at a concert in Mumbai.

Mumbai: Actor Rishi Kapoor, who is yet to perform in a play, says that despite a strong desire, he is afraid to perform on stage.

"I've never done a play. I'm a cinema actor. I've had a strong desire but I'm afraid to come on stage," said Mr Kapoor, when asked if he would like to feature in one.

He was present at the iconic Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai for the popular Prithvi Theatre Festival that begins on the occasion of his grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor's birth anniversary on November 3. He had also shared pictures of his grandfather on Twitter describing him as, "Good looking, Greek God Grandfather". (Also Read: You Can Thank Rishi Kapoor For These Amazing Pics of Prithviraj Kapoor)

When asked about the changes in the festival over the years, he replied: "It's been happening every year and it's actually on auto-pilot; there haven't been any changes in it. There is no profit-making in this, it's a trust. It's (admission price) is barely minimum just to keep it going on. You can't do anything for free as nothing is free in today's time."

He also feels that the theatre culture is still very much alive. "It's not got less; I believe theatre is progressing. On one side, MAMI is going on and on the other side, theatre is also going on. People present a play so well, it is very encouraging and I'm hopeful that lot of people will come and be part of Prithvi Theatre Festival. If you give the platform, people are going to increase," he said.

The Prithvi Theatre, which has completed almost 70 years since its inception was set up by legendary Prithviraj Kapoor and is one of the iconic venues for theatre performances in the country. Mr Kapoor feels that the there is a need for more platforms like Prithvi Theatre, which conducts more than 500 shows every year, to promote the medium.

"We need more such venues to promote theatre, like we see in every country or in the West, where there are more platforms like Prithvi Theatre to showcase their talent and creativity. We need to give it a push. Every drama company takes their play to various cities and promotes it, so I hope that we should also promote our plays in our city and in our country," he said.

Shashi Kapoor is the managing trustee of the theatre while the Bobby actor's cousins - Kunal and Sanjana - handle everyday affairs.
 
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