Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 28, 2017)

On Monday, several artistes, including Irrfan Khan, Anupam Kher and Vivek Agnihotri, took to the social media to mark World Theatre Day by sharing their early memories on stage.

Rajkummar Rao posted a throwback picture from a play he was a part of in class 11. “I played King Oedipus when I was in school in Gurgaon. Many stalwarts from the area were in the play so I was surprised when the director chose me for the lead. It was my first professional play. I thoroughly enjoyed being on stage,” the actor told Mirror, adding that it gave him a lot of confidence.

Ayushmann Khurrana, who comes from a theatre background as well, also shared a picture of himself from a one-act play competition. His performance in Spartacus won the first prize.

“It was my first college play, though my first musical was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat which I had done at 15 when in school,” says the actor, adding that when in class five he played Shylock in Merchant of Venice. His fondest memories are travelling the country with the theatre group Aaghaz and singing for travel mates in the second-class sleeper compartment of the Paschim Express and Punjab Mail.