Piyush Mishra revisits NSD campus, shares nostalgic video with poem
Synopsis
Piyush Mishra walked back into the National School of Drama — the place that made him — and set the clip to his own poem 'Wo Purane Din, Wo Suhane Din'. For a man who has written, sung, and acted his way across four decades of Hindi cinema, the NSD campus is less a nostalgic detour and more a return to source code.
Key Takeaways
Piyush Mishra shared a video revisiting the National School of Drama (NSD) campus on Tuesday .
He graduated from NSD in 1986 and used his poem 'Wo Purane Din, Wo Suhane Din' as the video's background score.
Mishra made his acting debut in Mani Ratnam 's 'Dil Se..' (1998) alongside Shah Rukh Khan .
His filmography includes 'Gangs of Wasseypur' , 'Gulaal' , 'Pink' , 'Rockstar' , and 'Tamasha' , among others.
He was last seen in 'Rahu Ketu' , released on 16 January 2025 , co-starring Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat .
Veteran actor, lyricist, and playwright Piyush Mishra returned to his alma mater, the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi, sharing a heartfelt video on Tuesday that instantly resonated with fans and the theatre community alike. The clip, posted on social media, showed Mishra walking through the iconic NSD campus and pausing at a tree that reportedly held personal significance from his student days.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Mishra, who graduated from NSD in 1986, accompanied the video with the caption 'NSD' and a red heart, letting the visuals speak for his emotions. He layered the clip with his own evocative poem 'Wo Purane Din, Wo Suhane Din' as the background score — a fitting choice given the poem's themes of cherished, irretrievable moments. In one brief but telling gesture, he pointed toward a tree on campus, a silent nod to memories forged over decades ago.
From NSD to National Acclaim
Mishra's journey from the NSD corridors to mainstream Hindi cinema is one of Indian entertainment's more distinctive arcs. He made his acting debut in Mani Ratnam's critically acclaimed 'Dil Se..' (1998), which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. That debut opened doors to an eclectic filmography spanning 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Pink', 'Maqbool', 'Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive', 'Tamasha', 'Gulaal', 'Rockstar', and 'Happy Bhag Jayegi'.
As a lyricist and singer, his contributions are equally significant. Tracks such as 'Arre Ruk Ja Re Bandeh' from 'Black Friday', 'Aarambh Hai Prachand' from 'Gulaal', 'Ik Bagal' from 'Gangs of Wasseypur', and 'Husna' on MTV Coke Studio have cemented his reputation as one of Hindi cinema's most literary voices.
His Most Recent Work
Mishra was last seen in the comedy drama 'Rahu Ketu', directed by Vipul Vig and produced by Umesh Kumar Bansal, Pragati Deshmukh, Suraj Singh, and Varsha Kukreja under Zee Studios and BLive Productions. The film, which featured Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat in lead roles, released on 16 January 2025.
Why the NSD Visit Resonates
The NSD, established in 1959 in New Delhi, remains India's foremost theatre training institution and has produced generations of stage and screen talent. For alumni like Mishra, it represents not just an academic credential but a formative artistic identity. His return — and the decision to document and share it — speaks to a broader cultural moment in which NSD-trained artists are increasingly visible in mainstream entertainment. Notably, this is not the first time an NSD alumnus has publicly celebrated the institution's role in shaping their craft, but Mishra's choice of his own poem as the soundtrack adds a distinctly personal layer.
As Mishra continues to balance acting, writing, and music, the NSD visit serves as a reminder of the theatrical foundations that underpin his multifaceted career.
Point of View
The NSD's alumni network has never been more commercially relevant. Mishra's career — spanning playwright, lyricist, singer, and actor — is precisely the kind of multi-hyphenate profile the institution consistently produces, yet rarely gets credit for in mainstream entertainment discourse. The clip is personal, but it also quietly makes the case for institutional theatre training in an industry that still undervalues it.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Piyush Mishra visit the National School of Drama?
Piyush Mishra visited the National School of Drama to revisit his roots, having graduated from NSD in 1986. He shared a video of the campus walk on social media, set to his own poem 'Wo Purane Din, Wo Suhane Din'.
When did Piyush Mishra graduate from NSD?
Piyush Mishra graduated from the National School of Drama in 1986. The institution in New Delhi is where he trained as a theatre artist before transitioning to Hindi cinema.
What was Piyush Mishra's acting debut?
Piyush Mishra made his acting debut in Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se..' (1998), which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film marked his entry into mainstream Hindi cinema.
What is Piyush Mishra's most recent film?
Piyush Mishra was last seen in the comedy drama 'Rahu Ketu', which released on 16 January 2025. The film was directed by Vipul Vig and co-starred Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat.
What are Piyush Mishra's most famous songs as a lyricist?
As a lyricist and singer, Piyush Mishra is best known for 'Aarambh Hai Prachand' from 'Gulaal', 'Arre Ruk Ja Re Bandeh' from 'Black Friday', 'Ik Bagal' from 'Gangs of Wasseypur', and 'Husna' on MTV Coke Studio.
