Neena Gupta is making a come back in theatre after a decade with the play Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha hosted by Bombay Times, which stars her and Anupam Kher and will premiere at NCPA on March 7. The actress spills the beans on why she decided to do this play. Excerpts from her interview:

We haven't seen you acting on stage for a while now...
Yes, it's been a very long time; the last play I did was almost 10 years ago. I have been thinking how I am not getting the kind of work I want to do. I will not do these small, insignificant roles in movies and I don't want to take up TV shows as they are very demanding. So I wondered, as an actress, what are my other options? Hence, I thought I must do a play and started reading scripts. Then suddenly, one day, I got a call from Rakesh Bedi for Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha. He narrated the play and I liked the script. I was very impressed by his writing and took it up. Because I come from a theatre background, I also missed acting on stage. That's how I learned everything about acting. Initially, I was apprehensive because theatre is a very tough thing to do. But just like you can't forget driving, it's the same with acting. Now that I am not doing TV, I can dedicate more time to it. At my age, it is very difficult to get good roles. Because in our society, an old woman is a useless woman!

Did you face any challenges while essaying your character?
The most difficult and interesting part of this play is that though it is a serious story, it has many light-hearted moments and is quite funny. So, while rehearsing, I kept questioning Rakesh, how could I laugh in a sad situation? I didn't know how to do it. Then he explained to me that in life, if you're going through a bad patch, you don't completely stop smiling or laughing. The more trauma and bad experiences you have, the more you are able to laugh on yourself and the situation. That's the most important theme of this play.

How was Anupam Kher as a co-star?
Though I have done a film with Anupam, the experience of working with him now is very strange because I believe theatre does something different to actors. It's not like going on a film set and meeting your co-stars. In theatre, there is a camaraderie that makes you believe you've been working with your co-actor for a long time. It is more intimate. What's important is that the other person shouldn't have an ego, which some actors have, else it becomes a problem. But if Anupam suggests something to me, I don't get offended and vice versa. There are no problems. It's fun to work with him. We laugh and pull each other's leg. I really like his dedication, especially as a producer, as he has spent a lot of money. Also, one of the reasons I took up this play is because I get to work opposite a very good actor.

Are you nervous?
We are all nervous because we had little time to rehearse. In fact, this is the first time in the history of theatre, where Rakesh and I are accompanied Anupam on his film shoot out of town, just so that we could rehearse with him between his shots, and before and after the shoot!