Chandan Roy Sanyal: Teleplays are redefining the grammar of popular entertainment

Well-known actor Chandan Roy Sanyal could have chosen an academic career after graduating with honors in Mathematics but instead chose a creative path. A workshop with the iconic Habib Tanvir sparked a love for theatre in him, and today apart from working as an actor on the big and small screen, he also runs a theatre company, Proscenium. The star of Zee Theatre’s riveting crime thriller Shadyantra is happy that theatre is now becoming more accessible than ever before because of the teleplays. 

About the experience of working in Shadyantra, Chandan says, “It is a very well-directed play, and my character is etched as someone who is very verbose and overconfident. Then comes the point where he realizes he is not as powerful as he believes himself to be. I had a great time working on this part with my co-star Hina Khan who is debuting in theatre with this play and really committed herself to her role.” 

He says, “Many years ago, when I worked in London for a few months as part of theatre director Tim Supple’s troupe, I learned that The Royal National Theatre, a very prominent performing arts venue, streamed its plays online. I am thrilled that Zee Theatre and ZEE5 have also made it possible now for Indian plays to reach viewers in different parts of the world. Teleplays are truly redefining the grammar of popular entertainment and winning over even those who may never have explored theatre as an entertainment option before.”

Chandan believes teleplays allow the audience to savor different storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and formats and says, “Teleplays are not always linear or predictable. They also engage with unusual themes that the audiences may never have seen before and can play a catalytic part in popularising live theatre and broadening its reach and popularity among both committed and nascent theatre enthusiasts.”

He reminds that during the pandemic, teleplays had given playwrights and actors a platform to showcase their talents, providing exposure and opportunities for growth and adds, “In any country, theatre in all its diversity has a wide cultural significance, and Zee Theatre is playing a hugely important archival role in preserving classic and contemporary stores not just for viewers at home but for a global audience.”