He is a lecturer in mathematics at the Sharada College in Goregaon, northwest Mumbai. You wouldn't know that, going by his rather unconventional appearance.

When his students look bored, he confesses, he entertains them with stories about his dramatic experiences.

As a teenager, Chandan moved from Delhi to Bhopal to work with the legendary Habib Tanvir and his Naya Theatre. After he returned to Delhi, he formed a theatre group, Antara. He came to Mumbai four years ago and supports his theatrical aspirations with academic tenure.

He says it would be impossible the other way around. "Sometimes, we make just Rs 2,000 a month on stage, which can't support anything."