Theatre Icon's Home: A Haven of Memories

Perched in Noida, the residence 'Rainawari' is a testament to theatre personality M.K. Raina's enduring connection to his past, especially his lost Srinagar home. Raina, now 77, recalls his early theatrical experiences in Srinagar, including a role in a Class IV opera and watching iconic films. The early 1960s in Kashmir were a vibrant period for progressive arts, with luminaries visiting and interacting with local talent.

His journey led him to the National School of Drama in Delhi in 1967, where he was trained not just in theatre but also in life. After graduating, he gained recognition for his role in the 1974 film '27 Down.' However, Raina chose to focus on theatre, which he considers his true love, and founded the experimental theatre group Prayog in 1977.

Raina continued to work in parallel cinema through the 1980s and experienced a resurgence with the 2007 film 'Taare Zameen Par.' He views films as a 'picnic' and a means to fund his passion for theatre, following his dictum 'Earn and Burn.'

Despite Delhi remaining a theatre hotspot with enthusiastic young audiences, Raina highlights significant challenges. Auditorium rental costs have drastically increased from Rs 3,000-5,000 in the 1970s to over Rs 1 lakh, making experimental theatre financially strenuous. He also observes a concerning trend of young actors rushing into Bollywood without adequate training and a perceived decline in NSD's quality due to proliferating short-term courses.