Samaresh Routray Revisits NSD Memories

Bhubaneswar: Veteran Odia actor and National School of Drama (NSD) alumnus Samaresh Routray took a nostalgic trip down memory lane as he recalled his days at the prestigious theatre institute, remembering one of the most defining performances of his early acting career.

Sharing his memories on social media, Routray revealed that during his NSD days he portrayed the character ‘Tiger’ in celebrated playwright Surendra Verma’s Shakuntala Ki Anguthi, directed by legendary theatre personality Ram Gopal Bajaj.

“During my NSD days, I had the opportunity to play the character ‘Tiger’ in Surendra Verma’s Shakuntala Ki Anguthi, directed by the legendary Ram Gopal Bajaj sir. This play will always be close to my heart,” the actor wrote, reflecting on the production that helped shape his journey as a performer.

A respected name in Odia cinema and television, Samaresh Routray is known for his versatility and has portrayed a wide range of characters, particularly memorable negative roles. An alumnus of the National School of Drama, he has worked in theatre under acclaimed directors including Ram Gopal Bajaj, Amal Allana, Robin Das, M.K. Raina and K.N. Panikkar. He has also received several honours during his career, including the Odisha State Film Award for Best Actor for Namard.

Routray was last seen in the Odia suspense thriller Rakta Golapa, released earlier this year, where he featured alongside Elina Samantray, Choudhury Jayaprakash and Abhishek Giri. The film was directed by Peenakee Singh and Sisir Kumar Sahoo.