Chandigarh, Sept. 28 -- With youngsters crowding Ramlila grounds each evening, some watching closely enough to memorise every line, others waiting for their turn backstage, the performances have become more than just a festive tradition. Year after year, Ramlila doubles up as a training ground, giving many children and teenagers their first chance at acting and often setting them on the path to theatre and cinema. At the Ordnance Club, 21-year-old Minakshi Bhatt stands out as someone whose journey from Ramlila has blossomed into a professional career. A graduate of Panjab University's Department of Indian Theatre, she first took the stage in 2022 as Sulochna and Urmila, and by the next year had already stepped into the lead role of Sita. Today, along with auditioning for roles wherever she gets the opportunity, she works for 'Kids and Expressions,' an acting workshop in Sector 43. "Ramlila taught me layers of acting no other platform could," she says. "Playing Sita, I understood the strength in silence, spirituality and loyalty-qualities that still shape the way I approach performance." Sharing the same stage is 23-year-old Rahul Singh Lama, who plays Lakshman. Inspired by the production itself, he decided to pursue acting more seriously. "Ramlila made me want to step into the field. It showed me how powerful stories can be when you bring them alive on stage," he says. Sector 20's Azad Dramatic Club has been home to several growing actors, one of them being 21-year-old Garv Rajora. He traces his journey back to 2017, when he unexpectedly landed the role of Bal Lakshman. The experience was decisive. "Ramlila taught me how to project my voice, but more than that, it helped me overcome stage fear," he reflects. "It made me more confident not just as an actor but also in real life," he says. In Sector 30, Ashwani Bal Dramatic Club continues to be a breeding ground for young performers. Fifteen-year-old Nitin Yadav, who has been acting in Ramlila since he was 12, takes on dual roles this year, Angad and a younger Ram. "I knew I wanted to be a part of this show ever since my parents brought me to watch it," he says. "The costumes, the energy, it all felt magical and I just wanted to be on stage." General secretary Aditya Sharma, now a member of Samwad Theatre, credits Ramlila for sparking his interest not just in acting but in the mechanics of stagecraft. "Ramlila made me curious about what happens behind the curtain, the light cues, the makeup, the movement of scenes," he says. "It gave me the foundation that the theatre later built upon." While today's youngsters are finding their footing on stage, Ramlila has historically been the launchpad for many of India's most recognisable actors. From Rajpal Yadav and Yashpal Sharma to Shah Rukh Khan, several household names took their first steps in front of audiences through these mythological productions. Chandigarh has its own share of such stories-actors who began in the city's Ramlilas and went on to establish a strong ground in theatre and the film industry. Actor Jyoti Bhardwaj began his Ramlila journey three decades ago as Vishnu before becoming the city's longest-serving Ram. By 2014, he was working professionally, with credits, including 'Crime Patrol', Punjabi films, Meghna Gulzar's 'Sam Bahadur' and the web series 'Ranniti'. Tagore Theatre's current director, Abhishek Sharma, also began in Ramlila-the Garhwali group in Sector 28B. Starting in 2003 at the age of 14, he credits it for sparking both his acting career and his later move into direction in 2012. "Ramlila gave me the stepping stone into this nuanced and beautiful world of theatre," he says. Another example is Ravi Bhushan Kansal, who started playing small roles in Ramlila in Meerut at the age of five. His career path later took him to the position of chief medical officer at the Ordnance Factory, but his passion for acting never left. Alongside his professional responsibilities, he performed in Sector 28's Ramlila and eventually transitioned into Punjabi and Hindi cinema with roles in 'Babli Bouncer', 'Akeli' and web series 'Tabbar'. He says, "Ramlila is the truest test of an actor, it places you before an unfiltered audience, drawn from every walk of life. If you can hold them, you can hold anyone." Even those who could not take part often feel its pull. Kamal Arora, former principal of Tagore Niketan School and College and former chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, admits, "One of my regrets has always been not being able to participate in Ramlila because of my many other commitments. It remains a stage that nurtured countless artists, and I wish I had been part of it."...