Actor, lyricist and playwright Piyush Mishra recently revisited Delhi, returning to the city that played a defining role in shaping his artistic journey. During his visit, he stopped by the National School of Drama (NSD), but for the celebrated theatre veteran, it is Mandi House that continues to hold the deepest emotional significance.Reflecting on his years in the Capital, Piyush said, “Kaam kiya hai 3 saal wahan par, iske alaawa main 20 saal raha hoon Dilli mein. NSD se zyaada Mandi House mujhe pyaara hai. Mandi House mein I have spent 20 years, 20 long years working, working just doing theater. Toh usmein jo hai uski bahut, bahut bhayankar memories hain, matlab chhoti-moti memories nahi hain. Wahan par har chappe mein, har zarre-zarre mein rehearsal ki hai maine. Mandi House is like a pilgrimage for me.”For Piyush, memories of Delhi are closely intertwined with his theatre days, a period he remembers as one of immense passion and creativity. Looking back, he spoke fondly of spending time at Bengali Market and the unmatched satisfaction he derived from his work in theatre.“Bengali Market bada priy adda tha humara. Delhi ko ek hi tareeqe se miss karta hoon ki waisa wala kaam main dubaara nahi kar paaya jaisa maine wahan rehte hue kiya. 20 saal mein jo kaam kiya maine wahan par, with no expectation of going cinema, no expectation of name, fame, money, toh woh jo hai maine wahan par jo kiya woh bahut hi enthusiastic aur bahut hi productive kaam tha. Uss kaam ki wajah se hi main hoon jo kuch bhi hoon. Matlab ab yahan aane ke baad itna jaldi kaam mil gaya mujhe cinema mein, kaaran yahi tha ki itna kaam karke aaya tha main. Toh memories jo hai kaam ki hi hain aur koi aisi koi romantic memories nahi hain meri. Woh alag baat hai ki meri biwi se meri wahin mulaqaat hui thi.”The actor’s visit also coincided with a personal milestone. Earlier this week, Piyush and his wife, Priya Narayanan, celebrated 31 years of marriage. Recalling the beginning of their love story, he shared, “Priya (Narayanan) padhti thi School of Planning and Architecture mein, ITO pe uska college tha. Wahan main 1992 mein play direct karne gaya tha. Unse mulaqaat hui, ishq ho gaya. Humne 1992 se 1995 tak date kiya aur 95 mein shaadi kar li.”Asked whether Delhi’s theatre culture still retains its vibrancy, Piyush expressed optimism. According to him, the passion for live performances remains very much alive among aspiring actors and theatre enthusiasts.“Hai hai, main jaata rehta hoon. Ab bhi log bhide hue hain. Bhale hi woh cinema ke laalach mein bhide hue hon, lekin engrossed hain woh log, lagaatar theatre kar rahe hain, achhi baat hai.”
