Exclusive! Raqesh Bapat On Teaching Sculpting To Tejasswi, Rithvik & Others: I Feel Like A Proud Teacher

Actor Raqesh Bapat has always championed the cause of switching to a sustainable lifestyle. He is one of the pioneers in Mumbai, who began sculpting his own Ganpati Idol from natural clay & passed the baton to other actors. Raqesh's passion to teach his art has reached new heights, as he prepares DIY kits for people to sculpt their idols this Ganesh Chaturthi.

Recently, in an exclusive interaction with Filmibeat, Raqesh Bapat shared a thought-provoking message. He said, "I'd heard this quote that has stuck with me ever since I read it, 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children & rightly so. I think any form of art is merely a God's gift & it is my responsibility to share my gift with those close to me & really interested. Not that I talk enough about it, but back at home, we have led or rather tried to lead a sustainable life as much as possible. When I started sculpting, it evoked a sense of calm & happiness, it felt like I was being kinder to our planet. It felt therapeutic."

Let us tell you, Raqesh Bapat has so far taught sculpting to actors such as Tejasswi Prakash, Rithvik Dhanjani, Karan Wahi and others. When asked about his experience of teaching them, the Qubool Hai actor said, "As time passed, I'd a calling of sorts & I had this urge to take this creativity a notch higher & also includes other people in the process. I've taught Karan Wahi, Rithvik Dhanjani, Tejasswi Prakash & some other friends. We've spent hours in silence which almost felt like a happy trance as we brought the murtis to life. I feel like a proud teacher when I see some of them continue it year after year. This is not some gimmick, this is a way of life, we have to start somewhere for our children, our future generations."

Raqesh believes in saving the environment, hence, he has started sculpting eco-friendly Ganesh idols. When asked about the campaigns to save the environment on social media, he said, "On social media, I see a lot of talks surrounding the environment & many campaigns led by companies but sustainability has to be a lifestyle, how many of us actually follow that on a daily basis? All I'm saying is we have to start somewhere & charity begins at home. It's about time we speak less & do more because the things of nature do not belong to us, we should leave them to our children as we have received them."

Talking about Raqesh Bapat's career, he was recently seen opposite his ex-girlfriend Shamita Shetty in a music video 'Tere Vich Rab Disda'.