As a young girl, Swaroop Sampat’s greatest joy was sitting backstage and watching the play’s heroine applying makeup and getting into whatever role she was playing. “My father was the chief producer of the Indian National Theater and I used to accompany him to various rehearsals,” recalls the 67-year-old.

One of his favorite memories is watching Gujarati theater veteran Sarita Joshi prepare for her role in the iconic play Santu Rangili, A social drama that ran for nine years. “You don’t know how incredible it feels until you’ve experienced it. I was barely 10 years old and theater seemed amazing to me,” says the former Miss India, who became a household name with the television serial. this is what life is In 1984.

Swaroop Sampat and Anupam Kher. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The magic of theater continued to hold sway over Sampath, who started acting on stage during his college years. Later, as a professional actor, she often shared the stage with her husband and actor Paresh Rawal. After being away for over two decades, he recently made his comeback with the play Anjaane, which was premiered at NCPA in Mumbai on April 12, and will have its premiere at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi on May 22, 23 and 24. The play, in which she stars alongside Anupam Kher, is a light-hearted play on serious subjects like loneliness and companionship. The play revolves around different characters – a widow, a widower, a young paying guest, and a woman facing mid-life separation.

“The length of my role may be shorter than Anupam’s, but the character goes through solid ups and downs, and it has some great scenes. Plus, I didn’t want to do something that was too hectic. I want to enjoy myself on stage and it was very appropriate,” she says, describing her co-actor as “a wonderful person.” Later this year, the play is also touring the US and Canada.

Although Sampath was away from the limelight for some time, her relationship with the stage never ended. Theater is woven into the fabric of her family life – her husband and both sons, Anirudh and Aditya Rawal, are active businessmen – but her own involvement is as much academic as it is personal. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Worcester focused on the powerful role of play in developing life skills for children with learning disabilities.

“As an educational researcher, I am constantly presenting papers and giving speeches on stage,” she explains. “I may not have been acting, but I was still performing for an audience. Maybe that’s why it never felt like I had truly quit.”

Ultimately, it was Anupam’s encouragement that brought him back to his roots. “Anupam really inspired me to take this leap and I’m so glad I did,” she says. “Friends who have known me for decades say they have noticed a new energy and sparkle in my eyes recently. It’s all because of my love for theatre!”

On the cinematic front, Sampath has played notable roles in films like key and ka (2016), Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), and white Tiger (2021). While her commitment to education remains her primary focus, she has a keen interest in returning to the screen and stage for the right projects.

The play is running at Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, Delhi. Tickets are available on Bookmyshow.com.