Sambhaji Sasane on Freedom, Failure, Theatre and the Courage to Think Independently
Sambhaji Sasane On The Freedom To Fail
Actor Sambhaji Sasane has steadily established himself as a versatile performer across Hindi and Marathi cinema, with memorable performances in projects such as the acclaimed Hindi feature Love & Shukla (2017) and the 2026 romantic action drama Rubaab.
He recently showcased his remarkable range by portraying three distinct and complex characters in the Marathi suspense thriller Bol Bol Rani (2026).
With highly anticipated films Rakhan and Madhuran in the pipeline, Sambhaji Sasane continues to explore diverse roles and push his creative boundaries.
Reflecting on Independence Day, Sambhaji Sasane believes that the true meaning of freedom goes far beyond the right to speak, choose or express oneself.
For him, freedom also means having the courage to fail, the space to choose an unconventional path and, most importantly, the ability to think independently.
From Computer Science to Theatre: Sambhaji Sasane’s Unconventional Journey
He opens up about his journey from pursuing a postgraduate degree in Computer Science to choosing theatre, the lessons he learned from his father and the personalities who shaped his understanding of courage, individuality and freedom.
Speaking about a freedom that people often take for granted, Sambhaji Sasane says, The freedom to fail. Everyone celebrates the freedom to speak, to choose, to express.
But beneath them all sits a quieter one — the freedom to attempt, to fall, and to rise again without shame.
Where I come from, failure wasn’t philosophy; it was a luxury we couldn’t afford. I failed exams, failed auditions, failed at things I can’t name — and every failure taught me more than any success.
Drawing inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore, he adds, Tagore prayed for a land where the mind is without fear. I’d add one line to that prayer: and where the attempt is without shame.
A country that punishes failure raises obedient people. A country that forgives it raises artists and free minds.
For Sambhaji Sasane, the strongest feeling of independence comes while performing on stage. On stage, in the half-second before the first line.
In that moment I’m no one’s son, from no place, carrying nothing — completely free, precisely because everything could go wrong and I’ve made peace with it.
That’s my measure of independence: not applause, not choice, but permission to fail in front of living people and stand there anyway, he says.
He believes true independence also requires honesty with oneself. Independence isn’t doing whatever you want. It’s looking at yourself honestly — and not flinching, Sambhaji Sasane adds.
Choosing theatre over a secure career was another defining moment for Sambhaji Sasane.
Recalling the conversation with his father, he says, The day I told my father I was leaving a secure path for theatre. I had a postgraduate degree in Computer Science; he is a tailor — a man of few words and fewer luxuries.
He asked me exactly one question: ‘Do you believe in it?’ I said yes. Sambhaji Sasane said: ‘Then what’s stopping you? Go.’
Also Read : Freedom Is Not Just a Post, It Is What We Do Every Day” – Neha Harsora on Independence Day
Describing his father’s support as a powerful act of courage, Sambhaji Sasane says, People think courage is one man against the world.
Sometimes courage is two sentences from a father who had every reason to say no. I supplied the leap. He supplied the ground I leapt from.
When asked what he hopes never changes about India, Sambhaji Sasane points to its diversity. Her diversity — the impossible arithmetic of it.
I’ve performed in Marathi, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Kannada and English. I’ve cried at a Tamil film without understanding a single word.
So many languages, faiths and cultures standing shoulder to shoulder — history has no other example at this scale, he says.
He adds, My only prayer as the country evolves: may this never be erased. Take the diversity out of India, and what’s left is just geography. The diversity is the country.
Also Read : Amal Sehrawat: “Freedom Is Not Just About Having Rights; It’s Also About Accepting Responsibility”
Why Bhagat Singh Continues to Influence Sambhaji Sasane
Among the Indians who have inspired him most, Sambhaji Sasane names two people who have influenced him in very different ways — his father and Bhagat Singh.
Speaking about his father, he says, My father — a tailor who taught me, without a single lecture, that it’s okay to fall and get back up, that dignity isn’t in never falling but in how quietly you rise. I’ve met no braver man.
He also credits Bhagat Singh for influencing the way he thinks. And Bhagat Singh — not the poster, the mind.
I read his jail notebook extensively during graduation, and it never left me: a man in his twenties, awaiting death, filling pages with Marx, Rousseau, Dickens, Ghalib — thinking fearlessly to the very end, he says.
The revolver made him famous. The notebook made him immortal. My father taught me how to endure; Bhagat Singh taught me why to think. A man needs both, Sambhaji Sasane adds.
For the next generation, Sambhaji Sasane believes freedom must be treated as something that needs to be exercised every day. Freedom is not an inheritance — it’s a daily practice.
Also Read : Chaitali Kohli: “True Patriotism Is Not Limited To One Day — It Is Reflected In How We Live Every Single Day”
The big freedom was won for you in 1947. The small ones you must win every morning: the freedom to choose your work, think your own thoughts, fail publicly and try again, walk a road nobody around you understands, Sambhaji Sasane says.
Sambhaji Sasane concludes with a message that reflects his belief in independent thought: Read deeply. Fail bravely. And never outsource your thinking to a crowd — that’s the only independence no one can ever take from you.
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