September 1, 2025

Manoj Joshi, famous actor and theatre lover, recently graced Vadodara for a lively theatre festival. He shared heartfelt thoughts about his passion for live acting. Joshi has been performing his hit play Chanakya for almost 37 years, delighting audiences in over 1,700 shows across India. “But I have never felt bored. I try to do something slightly different with every show,” he said, showing his dedication and love for the craft. He explained, “There is a huge difference between doing a film, show or OTT project and performing live. I can’t describe it in words, but theatre mujhe zinda rakhta hai.” Joshi is thrilled to see Gujarat supporting theatre festivals. “It’s a much-needed initiative because the medium teaches you a lot about our rich history and culture, and also makes the audience think about relevant issues,” he added. Every time he performs in Vadodara, the name of Sayajirao Gaekwad III shines bright in his mind. Joshi remembered, “I am reminded of the immense contribution of Sayajirao Gaekwad III towards promoting arts.” He also opened up about how playing Chanakya changed him. “Playing Chanakya has also helped me in becoming a better person. It has taught me how to work selflessly and always put the nation first. One should never be celf-centred and should always think about how they can contribute to society.” For him, acting in good plays is deeply satisfying, and the magic of live theatre fuels his performances in movies and web shows. “There’s something about live art, where the audience participates in real time, that other mediums can never match.” Talking about the current heated debate over languages in states like Maharashtra and Karnataka, Joshi shared wise words. “Har bhasha ka samman karna chahiye. However, our Constitution never supports fighting over languages, isn’t it? We should respect our Constitution.” Finally, on the modern film scene, Joshi expressed his views. He confessed, “I hate the word Bollywood.” He believes movies have strong visual power, but the audience now craves meaningful stories. “I believe that for creative people like us, self-censorship is important. I try and do projects where the audience takes away something at the end of it. When you are into performing arts, it’s important to be responsible and think about the impact of your work too.” Manoj Joshi’s passion for theatre, respect for culture, and thoughtful words remind us how live art continues to shine bright, keeping our stories and values alive on stage.

Read More at Timesofindia →

Tags: Manoj joshi, Theatre, Chanakya, Vadodara theatre festival, Live performance, Language respect,