And when Ananda Lal cast me as Escalus in ‘Measure for Measure’, what was Escalus anyhow? He was second in charge, directly answerable and responsible to the Duke. Escalus knew every single bit of everything that was going on behind the scenes, but he would keep quiet, keep a straight face as is customary and speak only when called upon. And he was lauded for his prudence and efforts by the Duke. Look at things now. Isn’t that an exact description of me? Isn’t that what I have been doing all these years? Isn’t that what people have finally understood about me? Back in the day, all people could say about me was “innocent bhalo meye”. But, Ananda Lal hit straight at the core. That’s why Ananda Lal is great. That’s why Ananda Lal is India’s premier critic. That’s why Ananda Lal is a renowned theatre personality.