What happens when four National School of Drama alumni sit together and revisit the place that shaped them? Stories spill out. Memories return. Laughter erupts. Difficult questions emerge. And somewhere between nostalgia and reflection, you understand why theatre continues to matter.
Aadyam Theatre, the pioneering theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group, launches the third season of its podcast Unscripted With Akarsh Khurana with its first-ever live audience taping – an intimate and deeply personal conversation on the legacy of the National School of Drama (NSD). Hosted by actor, writer, and director Akarsh Khurana, the opening episode features acclaimed actors and theatre practitioners Kumud Mishra, Gopal Datt, Durgesh Kumar, and Ipshita Chakraborty Singh.
With “NSD Legacy” as its central theme, the episode becomes more than a conversation, it feels like a reunion of artists who continue to carry theatre within them long after leaving the institution. Each guest revisits the journey that brought them to Delhi from different corners of the country: Gopal Datt from Nainital, Kumud Mishra from Bhopal, Durgesh Kumar from Darbhanga, and Ipshita from Jaipur. What united them was a relentless desire to pursue the craft, despite uncertainty, distance, and the intimidating scale of the city.
The stories are filled with vivid details. First impressions of Delhi, surviving the early days at NSD, discovering new artistic worlds, and finding lifelong connections inside rehearsal rooms and hostel corridors. But running through all these memories is a deep gratitude towards the institution that transformed them.
As the conversation moves forward, Mandi House almost becomes a character in itself. The guests speak about a Delhi that once revolved around theatre, art, and constant exchange of ideas. For them, NSD was never just an acting school, but a cocoon where curiosity, experimentation, and discipline were nurtured every single day.
The episode balances warmth with honesty. The guests speak about the patience theatre demands, the years of practice it takes to truly understand performance, and the lessons that continue to stay with them decades later. Kumud Mishra recalls a deeply emotional exercise involving the idea of “home,” while Ipshita shares a piece of advice from Adil Hussain – to always perform for one secret person in the audience.
One of the most striking moments arrives when Kumud Mishra questions whether society still sees theatre as a necessity. Reflecting on how the urgency around art has shifted over the years, he advocates for stronger support systems and expresses a wish for institutions like NSD to exist in every state across India. Echoing similar thoughts, Gopal Datt speaks about the importance of patronage and institutional backing to sustain spaces dedicated to the arts.
What makes the episode memorable is not just the insight, but the distinct energies each guest brings into the room, Durgesh Kumar’s effortless humour, Kumud Mishra’s ability to move seamlessly between introspection and playfulness, Ipshita’s quiet clarity, and Gopal Datt’s unwavering devotion to the craft.
More than a discussion about NSD, the episode becomes a larger reflection on why theatre still matters, as a space for questioning, dialogue, disagreement, and human connection.
The first podcast episode of Unscripted With Akarsh Khurana Season 3 is now streaming on Spotify, YouTube, Apple podcast, Amazon Music and Jiosaavn.
