MUMBAI :Actor Saanand Verma, who is part of the Sanjay Jha play Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin, says that despite so much content available on OTT, TV and films, theatre will always have a loyal audience. He adds that the format stands apart from how other industries work.

“As far as the question of whether the theatre industry is still in alliance with the competition from OTT films and TV; my point is very simple: Theatre doesn't have any competition with OTT, Films, or TV. And this is what I feel for theatre because it is a very different format. It has a very true connection with the audience. This is the truest connection with the audience during an act. We are actually physically there, performing in front of thousands of audiences, and they respond or react in real time, so we cannot compare theatre with any other format that is basically used by cameras and is used in a controlled environment where there is no real connection with the performance artists,” he says.

He adds, “So the theatre is going to be alive all the time. Nothing can compete with theatre; theatre is the highest level of satisfaction for any creative personal storytelling, any story writer, or any act. This is the highest level of satisfaction because this is a tourist connection with your audience. I went to a couple of places. I just went to a couple of places and very few shows, and as known, I have not been going to school or college so haven't participated in drama there. I have done a negligible amount of theatre when I was on my teams, and if I say that this is my very first commercial play, that is actually the truth. This is my first ever professional commercial play; I have never done it before, and I am extremely happy and excited.”

Talking about working in the play, he says, “This play has a meaningful story with lots and lots of humorous situations. When we were doing a grand rehearsal, there were many viewers who really enjoyed and laughed at my punches. That’s what an actor loves.”

Working with Sanjay Jha and the theatre People production house is a dream come true, says the actor, adding, “Sanjay Jha is a wonderful writer with a great sense of humour. He is a very polite, very genuine, hard working person. And I would love to work with him over and over again, because I connect very well with him. I have gotten along with him well since I met him and he is a fantastic person.”