Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who is currently basking in the success of the ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise and earning both critical and audience acclaim for his performance as Jameel Jamali, was in Bhopal on Friday for his play ‘Massage’.

A sharp, thought-provoking stage production, ‘Massage’ delves into the life of an ordinary man navigating extraordinary circumstances, blending humour with subtle social commentary. Known for its engaging narrative and minimalist staging, the play leans heavily on performance, allowing Bedi to command the stage with his impeccable comic timing and emotional depth. It reflects the essence of Indian theatre—intimate, actor-driven, and deeply connected to its audience.

During his visit, Bedi also sat down for a quick chat with Mathrubhumi English, where he spoke passionately about the evolving theatre landscape in India. Dismissing concerns about its decline, the seasoned actor asserted that theatre is far from fading away. Instead, he believes it continues to evolve with time. “Theatre will never die,” he said with conviction, adding that it will continue to thrive for generations to come.

“If we go back in time, we know that Greek theatre didn’t just exist but flourished. Since then, there have been numerous wars (across the world), yet theatre survived. Theatre was flourishing even when black-and-white cinema made its entry. Later, when we moved to the DVD and VCR era, it continued to exist. And as radio came in, plays were introduced on that medium too; yet, it didn’t have an effect on theatre, and it continued to thrive. It continues to thrive today as well,” said the ‘Shreeman Shrimati’ actor.

Bedi also highlighted how theatre is a strong audio-visual experience, which is far more demanding than cinema. Explaining this, he said, “Theatre is an audio-visual medium in which the audio aspect carries more weight than the visual. It is not cinema, where a silent close-up of an actor can do the talking.”

“In theatre, sound holds more importance. For instance, a person sitting in the front row will have the best visuals and audio, but for someone seated further back, the viewing experience relies largely on sound. The audio must reach them clearly, as they may not be able to see the visuals as distinctly, but can understand expressions through sound,” Bedi said. He added, “Theatre has always been a medium where transmitting the content effectively is crucial. The story should be heard clearly by audiences in both the front and back rows.”

“And that is why I’m certain that theatre can never die. It will never die. There have been so many onslaughts. The war is still going on, yet all of us are here for the play.”

The senior actor also opened up about whether he has ever chased fame. “I have never been after fame. Before ‘Dhurandhar’, I might have had a lakh followers on social media. They may have increased after the film’s release, but I have never tried to grow my following because I have never run after fame; rather, I have focused on my work. There are many people who try to buy influence. I believe that if you focus on your craft, recognition and love will follow you.”

Meanwhile, ‘Dhurandhar - The Revenge’ entered its second weekend on Friday. Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh in the lead alongside Arjun Rampal and Bedi, the second instalment has already crossed the Rs. 1,000 crore mark at the global box office. Also featuring Sara Arjun, the espionage thriller will have a third and final instalment; however, its release date has not yet been announced.