Theatre actors tell us why it is a superior art form and hence, there isn’t any competition

Kabir Singh Bhandari

On World Theatre Day, The Free Press Journal asked actors who’ve made their mark both on stage and screen how theatre competes in a world dominated by Reels and Netflix.

Pratik Gandhi

Theatre is a human experience that has its charm. We, as humans, thrive on personal connections and interactions. As our lives become increasingly digital, the value of these personal connections and immersive experiences will only continue to grow. Theatre will remain a treasured art form, offering a unique space for human connection and emotional resonance.

World Theatre Day celebrates theatre's global impact in promoting cultural exchange. In Bollywood, theatre influences performances and storytelling, with many actors and filmmakers drawing inspiration from stage productions to enhance their craft. Makarand Deshpande By being theatrical! Which means writing for the stage and staging it as a play!

Sumeet Vyas

In my opinion, I don’t think theatre has ever competed with television, films, or the Netflix and Reels of the world since cinema and television first came into the picture. Theatre found its own audience. It’s also a very different experience because it is a live art form.

It's like listening to a song on your phone or earphones versus listening to a live performance. It’s a completely different experience altogether because there is something called a human touch or human feel. When you perform on stage, in some sense, you and the audience become one at some point. And that’s why it’s a completely different, and in my opinion, a superior experience.

Zahan Kapoor

In a world consumed by reels and streaming, I think theatre is poised to be even more impactful and necessary. Not only is it immediate and, in a way, transient because it exists only right here, right now, but it also cannot be rewatched, cannot be re-streamed, and cannot be reshared immediately. It has to be attended to, witnessed in the moment.

Secondly, it is a true act of connection and communion because the audience makes the effort to show up, commit, and participate. The artist also participates in a very immediate way. It’s a genuine exchange of energies—one receives and reacts, while the other submits fully, immerses itself fully, and gives. I think because of that, it’s even more powerful. The collective experience and the collective sharing, the connection through art, through story, will feel even more necessary as the world becomes increasingly digital.