When Rajpal Yadav said theatre kept him alive; ‘I have lived, breathed and enjoyed theatre’

Rajpal Yadav has been in the spotlight recently because of the cheque-bounce case and his six-month jail sentence.

At this time, let's take a look at one of his older interviews when he had said, “I have lived, breathed, and enjoyed theatre,” and he meant it.



The Bollywood actor said theatre kept him alive in films for 26 years. He said it is the reason he could stay strong in the film industry for so long.

Rajpal Yadav says he became who he is because of theatre

Rajpal said theatre shaped his whole life. As reported by The Patriot website, the actor said, “Whatever I am today is because of theatre. It has taught me how to live, how to be human, and, more importantly, it has made me a better person.”

He also said that from the moment he stepped into his acting school, he knew he wanted to be an actor.

Rajpal said, “The day I entered the institution and started learning acting, I had clarity in my mind—I was going to be an actor. This prestigious institution has that kind of power.”

He graduated in 1995 and said his time at NSD gave him everything he needed. He said it was a strong learning experience and said they were always learning something new, whether it was acting, technical work, or stage lessons.

Actor shares memories from NSD days

Rajpal also shared funny memories from his training days. He talked about a ragging incident. He said, “They once asked me to make a line of students fall to the ground with a single blow. I thought it was impossible, but later, they acted it out in a rhythm, and it became a fun exercise.”

He also talked fondly about Mandi House. Rajpal said they watched many plays there and revealed that they also went to Bengali Market to eat Rasgullas.

The 'Baby John' actor said, “We watched numerous plays there and made lifelong friends. We also used to visit the nearby Bengali Market for Rasgullas. I can never forget those moments,” and he added that he still enjoys Delhi food whenever he visits.

Even though he finished NSD, his life was not easy in the beginning. Rajpal said he struggled for a few years when he moved to Mumbai. He even said he once thought about quitting acting. But theatre brought him back and reminded him of his path. He stayed strong and slowly, Rajpal found work in movies. Then he became famous with films like 'Hungama', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', 'Malamaal Weekly' and many more which the audiences cherish still now.

Right now, Rajpal Yadav is serving a six-month jail sentence in a cheque-bounce case. The case is almost a decade old and involves nearly Rs 9 crore. He surrendered at Tihar Jail earlier this week. His bail hearing is scheduled for this day.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”