“Theatre allows us to address societal problems,” says Nana Patekar as he inaugurates ‘Rangotsav’ in Mangaluru

Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India]: Renowned actor and theatre personality Nana Patekar underlined the importance of theatre in bringing to light societal problems and disparities during his visit to Mangaluru to inaugurate the six-day ‘Rangotsav’.

Patekar emphasised the necessity of using the stage to express discontent and raise awareness. Actor and director Prakash Raj also attended the event.

The students arranged a variety of cultural events for the guests and audience at the college.

“Theatre is our power, and it allows us to address societal problems and disparities. If I stand on the street and yell, the cops will come and arrest me. But if I do it on stage, everyone will applaud me, and I will receive the award. Many revolutions in the world began in theatres. You may use entertainment to express your views in a subtle way. The stage should be used in an appropriate way to educate people.”

Patekar emphasised the necessity for teamwork in theatre, stating that performers must overcome linguistic hurdles to represent varied characters.

Talking about his work front, he was recently seen in a Marathi comedy-drama film ‘Ole Aale’, written and directed by Vipul Mehta. He also portrayed the role of Former ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava in the film ‘The Vaccine War’.

While talking about his role, he said earlier, “I am playing the role of Dr Balram Bhargava and this entire movie is about the Covaxin vaccine that we made. It is all about what we went through while making this vaccine. During Covid-19, we all were scared and sab kuch andhere mein teer marne jaisa tha.”

Helmed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, the film was released in September 2023.