Shajjad Shaju's long journey with theatre troupe Aranyak has transformed him into a mature and skilful actor. In a conversation with The Daily Star, he talked about the role of theatre in his life:

Why did you go into theatre?

Shaju: I consider theatre as my school. I had a classmate who was into theatre and his undeniable talent was a great inspiration for me. In 1995, a theatre troupe came for a performance to my home district Sirajganj. The troupe consisted of Zahid Hasan, Tauquir Ahmed and Azizul Hakim. After I watched their amazing performance I decided to join Torun Sampradaye. I worked for two years with the troupe and left Sirajganj for Dhaka to join Aranyak. I had to wait four long years before I could get a good role. Since then I have been in the theatre world and my learning never stops.

What role can theatre play in society?

Shaju: If someone has freedom without proper guidance, there is a higher chance of going astray. However, if someone is culturally inclined then he or she will have more wholesome values. That is why; I believe theatre, as a cultural tool, can help society flourish.

Why isn't theatre a profession?

Shaju: Theatre in Bangladesh began as a means to build social awareness plus as a form of entertainment. Back then our options were limited. The difference between yesterday and today is that expectations have grown and options have multiplied. Today we have television, films and other media. That is why we see younger people are reaching for quick and easy successes. So theatre is not regarded as a profession.  I believe that if our government extended greater support to theatre as in other countries, we could definitely turn it into a viable profession.