Sandip Soparkar: It feels absolutely dynamic to play a character like Arjuna

In the past few years, dancer-choreographer Sandip Soparrkar has been doing mythological plays and musicals and enjoying every part of it. He shares, “I believe mythology teaches us unique life lessons and as an actor and a dancer I have become the medium to spread the message from God.”
Earlier this weekend, the dancer played the part of Arjuna in Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s renowned play ‘Chitrangada’.“I am an avid reader of all Tagore’s work be it his stories, poems and songs. I love it all. So when Madhumita Chakraborty ji and Tony sir approached me for ‘Chitrangada - Ek Sashakt Nari’, I felt as if it was a call from Rabindranath Tagore asking me to bring alive his creation so that it can reach out to more and more people.”
Talking about his role in the play he says, “This show has many dances and my part especially has a lot of folk elements and semi classical elements too. I have never performed such forms before, so to me this is the best part about the show for me. The choreography and execution is done by Madhumita ji.”
Sandip has worked in other mythological shows too and shares, “Hema Malini's show ‘Ganga’, where Hema ji plays Ganga, and I play Shiva, is very close to my heart. Another one has me playing Vishnu in the play, ‘Tulsi’, with actress Shanthi Priya. There is one from Greek mythology where I play Cupid in a show called ‘Born To Love’.”
However his role of Arjuna is close to his heart. “It feels absolutely dynamic to play a character like Arjuna. The power, the focus, the order that this character has in MahaBharata is extraordinary and to play that is an opportunity of a lifetime. I also know that this role comes with a lot of responsibility to spread the right message. In this play Arjuna in a way finally says to the audience, that we must not have filters in life. We should be proud of who we are and comfortable in our own skin because that is what makes everyone unique in their own way. You are you and there can never be anyone like you. Each dance act has been brilliantly executed. I have specially enjoyed the semiclassical style of the love dances. Arjuna's character as a Sanyasi has also been portrayed in a very dignified manner. And the most important part is the beautiful message that Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore gifts to the world through Arjuna, and I’m humbled to be doing so.”