How a Pune school teacher is shaping next generation of acting stars

Satpute soon noticed that standard drama competitions only allowed twenty-five to thirty kids on stage. He wanted to include a lot more students from the school’s massive strength of over two thousand boys. To solve this, he turned his focus to large group theatre events. This idea reached its peak when he directed the famous play “Jaanta Raja” with 2550 students and school staff members. They performed it in front of Babasaheb Purandare and even earned a spot in the Limca Book of Records. He teaches his boys that making a play is not just about the person saying the dialogue. Students learn to handle makeup, art direction, and music editing. In fact, several of his former students now have successful careers in Marathi film and theatre industry. Some also run their own music studios. Satpute has a keen eye for finding talent in the most unusual places. “I saw a tiny fifth grader dancing on a classroom bench with incredible energy. When I called him down, he thought he was going to get a scolding. Instead, I just asked him if he wanted to act in a play,” Satpute recalled. “I saw a raw, spontaneous energy in him that I knew had to be channelled.” That boy was Parth Bhalerao, who grew up to become a recognised actor, joining other successful alumni like Chinmay Patwardhan, Gaurav Barve, and Tanmay Jakka.

“One of the most essential qualities while working is confidence,” says Raghav Vartak, an actor and alumnus of Ramanbaug. “While acting, I often find myself realising that whatever I am doing can turn out well if I put in the effort. And I owe that confidence to Satpute Sir and New English School Ramanbaug.”

However, Satpute feels the most pride when his lessons help ordinary students in their daily lives. Recently, a former student who once played a tiny role as a moneylender’s sidekick told him that the confidence he gained on that stage helps him excel in his corporate marketing job today. To maintain a strict balance with academics, Satpute ensures his students practice during holidays or late in the evening so their main studies never suffer. He even brings drama into other academic subjects by turning difficult math and science concepts into small plays. He constantly tells other teachers to step out of their standard routines and watch local plays. He believes that grading a student’s unique expression is just as important as checking their exam papers. Satpute proves that a true teacher looks beyond the textbook to find the artist hiding inside every child.