Vicky Kaushal takes to the stage!

Little do people know that it was the theatre that Vicky Kaushal started his steps into acting. Soon after assisting Anurag Kashyap he was the leading man in the much acclaimed Masaan and since then there’s been no looking back for this young lad. This year perhaps has been the most rewarding as Vicky has already shot for three major films which will, in fact, be releasing back to back in the first half of 2018. He will be seen opposite Alia Bhatt in Raazi, will be seen in a pivotal role in the much awaited Dutt biopic and be essaying his romantic hero side in Love Per Square Foot.
 
Soon Vicky will commence the shoot of his lead role in the film based on the real-life story of Indian army’s surgical strike in Uri and just before that now Vicky is taking to stage, for one special occasion. An upcoming play titled 36 Ghante has 10 writers write a play which will then be picked at random by 10 directors, each getting 12 hours to make and put together a play.
 
Now that truly is an actor’s ultimate challenge to take to the stage and be performance ready within half a day! 
We ask him some quick questions about the play and his back to back releases in 2018
Tell us about your return to theatre.
Immediately after being an AD on Gangs of Wasseypur back in 2011, I started doing theatre In Mumbai which was an enriching and very crucial learning experience for me. Alongside I started giving auditions Since then I have been working in film as an actor. Now to get this opportunity to take to stage again, especially with such an unique concept I’m pretty much excited
What is the play about?
So this play is called Chattis Ghante which I felt conceptually this play is extremely exciting because this play will happen only this one time only this one night and it is not going to be repeated ever. The concept is that before the show the actors are going to come to know of the co-actors, script, the director only 12 hours before the show.
So whatever they have to do is in those 12 hours that they have to prepare the play so that for me was very exciting to take part In the play and also it’s a great initiative by Rage Productions because it’s also fundraiser for theatre where all the collections received from the tickets will be given to the people working backstage who have been working for years in theatre but only backstage so we don’t know who they are but they are also pillars in theatre apart from the actors, directors and play writers.
The people who get the set ready, make up artist, costume people, dress dada and everyone the collection is going to be collected and distributed to these people which I thought was a great great great initiative by Rage Productions. Because it had no commitment issues, it’s just one-day commitment and also with such noble and great initiative and also  very exciting process for a creative person involved, so that’s why I am very excited to be a part of this
36 ghante is a very unique project, you won’t know your story and director until 12 hours before the play. What is the process for an actor to adapt and be ready and remember everything on stage in this short period. 
I think there is no process to it. Because when you put a method to it, you forget the impulse of being an actor. For a concept like 36 Ghante ones biggest challenge as an actor is to adapt in a very short period of time. This helps us learn acting improv and that as an exercise for me is very important.  I have always loved doing theatre. It’s a great initiative & I am really honored to be a part of such an innovative initiative
Vicky Kaushal

Vicky Kaushalvi

In a very unlikely plausibility, What if you get a similar situation for a film where you know the producer and you will find out about every other crew member and the story directly on set.

It would be an amazing adventure and experience. I think the actual capability of me or any other actor would come out. Such experimental ways of doing any entertaining form of concept would excite me to be a part of it.
You’ve already shot for three major films which will, in fact, be releasing back to back in the first half of 2018. How excited are you?
All I can say is that I’m looking forward. As an actor I’m both excited am nervous to be seen portraying such diverse roles on screen. Each of these three films are different from each other both in its story-line and its genre.