In a 2023 interview, she described her process: “Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. But that is his body of work. ‘Part 21’ is my 21st attempt to answer his questions. It is the volume he never wrote—the volume written by the actor in response.”
For the uninitiated, the question lingers: What exactly is "Part 21"? Is it the 21st production in a series? The 21st character study? Or a metaphorical 21st chapter in a personal dialogue with the Elizabethan playwright? actress ruks khandagale and shakespeare part 21 work
To date, over 2,100 pots of basil, mint, and marigold have been planted across three continents. One attendee in Edinburgh wrote in the guestbook: “I came for Shakespeare. I left with a garden and a new understanding of grief.” As of late 2025, actress Ruks Khandagale has hinted that Part 21 Work is cyclical, not terminal. In a cryptic Instagram post featuring the number 21 in Roman numerals (XXI), she captioned: “We stop at 21 because that is the age of adulthood. Now, we raise the child.” In a 2023 interview, she described her process:
For the aspiring actor, the seasoned critic, or the curious soul who has never seen a play: find this work. Sit through the 210 minutes. Plant your seed. Because by the 21st sonnet, you will realize—Ruks Khandagale isn’t performing Shakespeare. She is arguing with him. And in that argument, art is reborn. Stay tuned for our exclusive video interview: "21 Questions with Ruks Khandagale on Shakespeare, Silence, and the 21st Breath." It is the volume he never wrote—the volume
In an exclusive deep dive, we unravel how are not merely revisiting the classics; they are deconstructing them, breathing contemporary urgency into iambic pentameter, and redefining what it means to be a female performer in Shakespeare’s male-dominated cosmos. The Genesis: Why Shakespeare? Why Part 21? To understand the magnitude of Part 21 , one must first understand Khandagale’s artistic philosophy. Trained at the National School of Drama (NSD) and further refined in the experimental houses of Berlin and London, Khandagale has always viewed Shakespeare as a "living, bleeding text."
In the vast, echoing chambers of global theatre, few names carry the weight of both classical rigor and contemporary audacity quite like . While the world has seen countless actors interpret the Bard of Avon, Khandagale’s ongoing odyssey—titled "Shakespeare Part 21 Work" —has emerged as one of the most provocative, layered, and intellectually stimulating theatrical events of the decade.
In a 2023 interview, she described her process: “Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. But that is his body of work. ‘Part 21’ is my 21st attempt to answer his questions. It is the volume he never wrote—the volume written by the actor in response.”
For the uninitiated, the question lingers: What exactly is "Part 21"? Is it the 21st production in a series? The 21st character study? Or a metaphorical 21st chapter in a personal dialogue with the Elizabethan playwright?
To date, over 2,100 pots of basil, mint, and marigold have been planted across three continents. One attendee in Edinburgh wrote in the guestbook: “I came for Shakespeare. I left with a garden and a new understanding of grief.” As of late 2025, actress Ruks Khandagale has hinted that Part 21 Work is cyclical, not terminal. In a cryptic Instagram post featuring the number 21 in Roman numerals (XXI), she captioned: “We stop at 21 because that is the age of adulthood. Now, we raise the child.”
For the aspiring actor, the seasoned critic, or the curious soul who has never seen a play: find this work. Sit through the 210 minutes. Plant your seed. Because by the 21st sonnet, you will realize—Ruks Khandagale isn’t performing Shakespeare. She is arguing with him. And in that argument, art is reborn. Stay tuned for our exclusive video interview: "21 Questions with Ruks Khandagale on Shakespeare, Silence, and the 21st Breath."
In an exclusive deep dive, we unravel how are not merely revisiting the classics; they are deconstructing them, breathing contemporary urgency into iambic pentameter, and redefining what it means to be a female performer in Shakespeare’s male-dominated cosmos. The Genesis: Why Shakespeare? Why Part 21? To understand the magnitude of Part 21 , one must first understand Khandagale’s artistic philosophy. Trained at the National School of Drama (NSD) and further refined in the experimental houses of Berlin and London, Khandagale has always viewed Shakespeare as a "living, bleeding text."
In the vast, echoing chambers of global theatre, few names carry the weight of both classical rigor and contemporary audacity quite like . While the world has seen countless actors interpret the Bard of Avon, Khandagale’s ongoing odyssey—titled "Shakespeare Part 21 Work" —has emerged as one of the most provocative, layered, and intellectually stimulating theatrical events of the decade.