I have been consciously avoiding sexual content: Ruslaan Mumtaz

Ruslaan Mumtaz made girls gaga over him with his films like “MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar” and “Teree Sang”. Call him old-school, but the actor says he is consciously avoiding taking up roles with sexual content and doesn’t believe in taking up work out of desperation.

 “I have been consciously avoiding sexual content because that is something that I am not comfortable with doing. The reason being, even if the story needs the scene, eventually it’s only that particular the scene being forwarded on WhatsApp and all over the internet, without any connection to the show. I think as a person, I don’t see myself like that and that is why I have been avoiding it,” he said.

 “Fortunately I have been getting work on Television, so that desperation never comes in. I don’t want to take up work for desperation. If tomorrow I have to take up a show or film which is made by Anurag Kashyap or Zoya Akhtar, and I can’t refuse because of the kind of directors they are, then I would convince myself to do it. But I have been refusing it otherwise,” he added.

 Ruslaan made his acting debut with 2007 film “MP3: Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar”. Talking about the content-wise changes he has witnessed in the industry over the years, he feels that though it has changed, he admits that he would want to do shows that he can watch with his whole family.

 “It has absolutely changed. Especially what we see on OTT platforms are absolutely different from Television. We need to make your mind as a performer to be able to do the kind of content that is available on the net. They don’t have censorship. And I have grown up being an actor or watching actors who follow censorship norms. So, I am not really comfortable with sexual content on-screen. Whatever work I do, I want my parents to see it, I want my in-laws to see it, my full family to watch it. And I have been refusing to do content which does not allow that viewership,” he said.

However, he feels that this is the new norm and he must accept it. “With each passing day, that kind of content is becoming so mainstream. In fact today it is difficult to have a well-made show, made by the top people, not having sexual content. I am going through a phase where I feel someday I will have to not think old-fashioned. Maybe the new norm is to have sexual content in every show. And accepting that it is real and not just for titillating the audience,” he admitted.  Ruslaan is seen in producer Rajan Shahi’s “Yeh Rishtey Hain Pyaar Ke” as Varun Soni. The popular show airs Monday to Saturday at 9 p.m. on Star Plus.