Belief in theatre

Sharath Sunkari is a determined theatre enthusiast who showcased World War 3 at the National Theatre festival held by the University of Mumbai. Sharath was enthusiastic about watching plays even as a child, as he would sometimes show up four hours before to find the best spot to watch a play.

Sharath reminiscing his journey says, “My passion and my constant requests to my brother-in-law got me my first role in a play. I took my interest forward in college, where I’d present skits at the annual day events.” He further added, “I came to Hyderabad in 2007 to pursue a Master’s degree in Theatre from Telugu University. Owing to financial pressure, however, I had to discontinue my studies. I went back to Siddipet and started a school but was not convinced about the path.”

Things took a turn for Sharath after he went back to Hyderabad in 2013 to complete his Master’s degree. “After the completion of my degree, I started writing scripts in Telugu and English. With support from the Department of Language and Culture, we have been able to sustain our activities and move forward.”

Sharath feels that theatre should always be taken up for creating a bond with society. “One can make a living from theatre as long as the zeal to bind theatre with society exists. The moment you try to market theatre, it can bring the downfall of the artist and the art form.”

Sharath shared with us his idea behind World War 3. “When society hurts an individual, it invariably results in revolutionary thoughts within the person. This results in an ‘army of thoughts’ and people who take sides, which can eventually result in war. Peace will prevail only when humans learn to respect one another.” Sharath likes to be creative and close to the contemporary world and is looking forward to seeing Telangana emerge as a centre for theatre on par with the productions created by reputed institutions like the National School of Drama.