She-actress Aaditi Pohankar on Typecaste: The teleplay reveals the prejudices that are still prevalent in our society

Aaditi Pohankar, who has carved a niche for herself in the OTT space with series like She and Aashram continues to be passionate about theatre. In Zee Theatre’s Typecaste, the actress plays the love interest of the protagonist Mahipat Babruvahan, essayed by Shreyas Talpade, who becomes the first MA degree holder from his community and village.

Typecaste is a play adapted from iconic playwright Vijay Tendulkar’s 1977 Marathi play, Pahije Jatiche. The play delves into the widespread caste-based discrimination in academic circles and society at large. According to Aaditi, the play is still relevant in our society and she feels that Vijay Tendulkar’s writing unfailingly exposes societal fault lines. “Typecaste reveals the prejudices that are still prevalent in society and it is unfortunate that we still read headlines about caste-based discrimination and oppression every day. Good art reflects society, and Tendulkar always held up a mirror to entrenched biases. This is an unsettling and yet important story that must be told again and again,” she told us. 

Talking about her love and commitment to theatre, Aaditi said, “Zee Theatre is such a gift for actors like me because through teleplays like Typecaste, it enables me to stay in touch with literary masterpieces and the creative discipline that only a theatrical performance can instil in you.”   

In the teleplay, despite Mahipat’s (Shreyas Talpade) success, society continues to evade him. He is not only fired from his current job despite being worthy of a raise but his new role as a professor puts his patience to the test as he is constantly belittled and undermined.  

Filmed by Sourabh Shrivastava, Typecaste also stars Atul Mathur and Utkarsh Mazumdar.