Bring up Gopal Datt’s name in a conversation, and regardless of what company you’re in, they’ll recall having a good laugh. For the younger generation that grew up bingeing on OTT shows, Datt is the quintessential sidekick who brings comedic relief to serious scenes in popular shows like TVF Pitchers. Old-timers whose worlds once revolved around families watching TV shows, will recall watching The Week That Wasn’t by Kunal Vijayakar and Cyrus Broacha, and waiting for the shot to cut to Datt, whose hilarious get-ups would garner a chuckle even before his jokes. 

Yet, unknown to those who only saw him on screens and stages, Datt has been kindling a different passion — writing and composing songs for theatre plays. Tonight, the artiste will perform Aur Karo Theatre, a set of 15 songs from plays spanning his three decades on and off the stage. “I was formally trained in playing the sitar as a young aspiring actor in my hometown, Nainital. When I moved to the National School of Drama in Delhi, I learnt the basics of theatre music there. These trysts with music sparked my love for the art form” he reveals.