Playing the Lord: This actor is portraying Krishna for 15 years

Theatre artist Ashutosh Tarate says, “I feel, I’m chosen by Him.” The 32-year-old, who has been playing the role of Lord Krishna, in various productions, since the age of 17 in Delhi and across other cities in India, feels that its a huge responsibility to portray the Lord on stage. Tarate reads Bhagavad Gita and has learnt Sanskrit to read the scriptures and authentically don the role of Lord Krishna.

“It’s important to read the scriptures. When you play Him, you need to elevate one’s consciousness to a certain level. It’s not how a TV actor does — ki mukut pehen liya, makeup kar liya, dialogue bola aur ho gaya. While putting my make-up on, I listen to Dasavatara Stotra that describes his 10 avatars. Every time I go on stage, I feel Krishna comes within me. I’m fortunate to enact the Lord and it’s my duty to educate the masses about the message in Bhagavad Gita,” he says.

Born in Mumbai, Ashutosh, shifted to Delhi in 2007 to refine his skills in theatre and visit the holy places linked to Krishna’s life. “I came to Delhi to learn theatre and ensure that my pronunciation of the shlokas is correct for the role. Moreover, I could also visit Vrindavan,” he says. Portraying the Lord on stage has altered the lifestyle of the actor. “It becomes difficult to lead a normal life once you read the shlokas of Bhagavad Gita. I follow all ethics — I don’t smoke or drink either,” he shares.