Rohini Hattangadi lives a parallel life in the play Samantar
By Manju Mittal
Rohini Hattandadi a respected Indian theatre film and television actress. She has portrayed Kasturba in the Oscar-winning film Gandhi and she has won several National Awards. Rohini Hattangadi is also known for her powerful performances in films like Arth, Party, Saaransh. She has appeared in over 80 films, and is active in theatre and television.
The Legendary actress Rohini Hattangadi is in Australia for the Hindi play ”˜Samantar’, her first live performance in Australia. Rohini is playing a lead role in Samantar. Director, writer and producer of ”˜Samantar’, Prashant Tupe is from Perth Western Australia. He is also sharing stage with Rohini Hattangadi. Dialogues and story play is by Sanjay Patole who is also from Perth and comes with vast experience in writing and has experience of producing and directing movies. The rest of the supporting roles will be performed by local Indian Australian artists.
Following is the interview Rohini Hattangadi gave to The Indian Down Under.
MM: Could you please tell us about your character in the play?
Rohini: This is the play about the Indian parents who are in India and their children are living in Australia and when parents comes to stay with their children in Australia and decide to spend their life with their children. They can’t adjust to the situation, culture differences in their everyday lives in Australia and they want to go back to India basically ”˜Samantar’ is based on the life of migrated seniors and their struggle to settle abroad.
MM: When did you start acting in theatre?
Rohini ( laughs): Forty years ago! Right from my childhood I was interested in theatre. I learnt classical dance when I was in school. Theatre was very dear to me and then I joined National School of Drama in New Delhi and did three years course and theatre became my passion. I just wanted to be an actor and that’s how I got involved into films and television.
MM: Why do think theatre is so important?
Rohini: Pick one Shakespeare play for example. There can be hundreds of interpretations of the same play. I think it is all about interpretation. There are so many kinds of dramas such as Pantomime, Melodrama. Theatre educates people it never gives solution it makes one think. It’s about positive and meaningful interaction between performers and audience.
MM: What advice would you give to aspiring actors?
Rohini: Whatever you want to do, do it with full passion and work really hard towards it. You must like your profession not only in theatre anything you like whether it’s the aspiration of an artist, a scientist, in journalism. Love your work and explore, find something that you are passionate about and do a full justice to it.
MM: Could you say a few words to your fans living in Australia?
Rohini: Well, I have come here for the play. I would encourage everyone to come and watch Hindi play ”˜Samantar’ on April 25, Saturday in Sydney. And also I would like to thank all my fans who have watched my theatre dramas, films and television shows that I have been in. I am really happy that even today they have kept me in their hearts. Whatever you want to do, you got to work really hard for it and remember everything will pay off someday!!
Rohini Hathangadi has come all the way to Australia to act in a play written, scripted and acted by local Indians and on a topic which will touch the strings of anyone’s heart who has migrated here, I am sure it is worth a watch. Our experiences in this land and how we made it here, our struggles to make a success and how we expect our parents to uproot themselves for our sake, how they are poles apart in thinking and the culture, their dilemma is what ”˜Samantar’ is all about.
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