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A good soul. A superstar. A naked sadhu in his previous life. That's Ravi Kishan summed up for you. As he breezed through town to talk about his upcoming film, TOI got him talking. Boy, did it turn out to be a thok daalnewala interview! Here's the hero, unplugged...
How was it recreating Aamir Khan's train stunt from Ghulaam for Jeena Hai to Thok Daal, the film in which you debut as the solo lead in Bollywood?
I didn't enjoy it at all. I wanted to tell my director that you go jump first and die. I had to run in front of a train without any safety measures such as a harness or a soft ground to jump on or a body double. The whole thing was very real with no use of graphics. The scene was shot in Purnea, Bihar, and the train driver wasn't aware that we were plotting such a scene. I have done 175 Bhojpuri films and 50 Hindi films in my career spanning 21 years. They should make newcomers do these kind of things — not superstars. But people know that I am a good soul. I will be angry for some time, will abuse them but later, I'll do it.
So are you a good soul?
Everybody has seen me as I am in Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Mujh se baat kar ke logo ko ek apnatva mehsoos hota hai. Maybe because of what I am, I got a chance to work with people like Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam. After numerous films such as Tere Naam, Luck, Agent Vinod, Dangerous Ishhq and Raavan Bollywood is finally paying me my due. People want to see me for at least two hours uninterrupted in a Hindi film. I'm just respecting their wishes.
The film is in news for the controversial song Moonh mein le...
I was not in support of the song. But the director liked it and wanted me to do it. But then it has been shot nicely. However, after the objection, the song is not releasing in the film.
Tell us about your struggles...
It's a long story. But cutting it short, I can just say that I am a poor priest's son and was born in a temple. But now, when people come to Mumbai, they come to see three houses, those of Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Ravi Kishan!
What are your upcoming Bollywood projects?
How was it recreating Aamir Khan's train stunt from Ghulaam for Jeena Hai to Thok Daal, the film in which you debut as the solo lead in Bollywood?
I didn't enjoy it at all. I wanted to tell my director that you go jump first and die. I had to run in front of a train without any safety measures such as a harness or a soft ground to jump on or a body double. The whole thing was very real with no use of graphics. The scene was shot in Purnea, Bihar, and the train driver wasn't aware that we were plotting such a scene. I have done 175 Bhojpuri films and 50 Hindi films in my career spanning 21 years. They should make newcomers do these kind of things — not superstars. But people know that I am a good soul. I will be angry for some time, will abuse them but later, I'll do it.
So are you a good soul?
Everybody has seen me as I am in Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Mujh se baat kar ke logo ko ek apnatva mehsoos hota hai. Maybe because of what I am, I got a chance to work with people like Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam. After numerous films such as Tere Naam, Luck, Agent Vinod, Dangerous Ishhq and Raavan Bollywood is finally paying me my due. People want to see me for at least two hours uninterrupted in a Hindi film. I'm just respecting their wishes.
The film is in news for the controversial song Moonh mein le...
I was not in support of the song. But the director liked it and wanted me to do it. But then it has been shot nicely. However, after the objection, the song is not releasing in the film.
Tell us about your struggles...
It's a long story. But cutting it short, I can just say that I am a poor priest's son and was born in a temple. But now, when people come to Mumbai, they come to see three houses, those of Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Ravi Kishan!
What are your upcoming Bollywood projects?
Sunny Deol's Mohalla Assi, where I play a romantic guide, the Sanjay Dutt starrer Zilla Ghaziabad, where I play a policeman in Varanasi. In Issaq I will be doing action sequences alongside Prateik. I am also a part of Aditya Chopra's Mere Dad Ki Maruti. On the small screen, I will soon be coming out with Ravi Kishan Ki Chai, which was famous in the Big Boss house. It will be on the lines of Koffee with Karan. All the people from Bihar-UP region who have made it big in Bombay will be called for a heart-to-heart chat.
Tell us about your experience of dubbing Spiderman 3 in Bhojpuri.
It was the first time a film from Spiderman series released in Bhojpuri. It became a hit in Bihar because of my voice. I wanted my Bhojpuri fans to enjoy Spiderman in the voice that they love — mine! You have been voted as the Most Popular Actor at the Bhojpuri Cinema Samman. Yet you have decided to quit Bhojpuri cinema...
Not only most popular actor, I have also got the National Award. I have revived the Bhojpuri film industry. I had said that I want to do less Bhojpuri films, because these days scripts are weak. I was misquoted.
What do you think about Kolkata?
My first Bhojpuri film was shot in Kolkata. The heroine of my hit film, Saiyyan Hamar, which was also the first silver jubilee Bhojpuri hit, had Bengali heroine Arpita as my co-actor. I also shot with Abhishek and Aishwarya for Raavan in the city. When I go to Kolkata, mast ho jata hoon. It is like a spa for me. Mujhe garibon ka Mithun kaha jata tha. Those who could not afford Mithun, used to sign me. I had long hair like him. Unki tarah tedha bhi chalta tha.
Your film, Jala Debh Duniya Tohra Pyar Mein, was shown at Cannes Film Festival in 2010 and also Toronto.Do you hope to recreate such magic in Bollywood?
I am a very dangerous actor. Bahut talent hai mujh mein. Think if I made it this big without a godfather, how talented I must be...
First, Raaz Pichle Janam Ka, then Bigg Boss and now Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. You seem to have a knack for reality shows...
I want to do one reality show every year. It goes with my personality. I made Bigg Boss famous with my line "Zindagi jhandwa phir bhi ghamandwa".
Do you believe in past life regression?
I believe in the shows I do. I also took a past life regression session to understand what I was in my past life. It turns out that I was a Naga sadhu, a naked sadhu in my past life. So now I know why I am a Shiva devotee.
If given an opportunity to do Bigg Boss, would you want to go in again?
I had my share of madness. Aur pagal nahi hona mujhe.
Tell us about your experience of dubbing Spiderman 3 in Bhojpuri.
It was the first time a film from Spiderman series released in Bhojpuri. It became a hit in Bihar because of my voice. I wanted my Bhojpuri fans to enjoy Spiderman in the voice that they love — mine! You have been voted as the Most Popular Actor at the Bhojpuri Cinema Samman. Yet you have decided to quit Bhojpuri cinema...
Not only most popular actor, I have also got the National Award. I have revived the Bhojpuri film industry. I had said that I want to do less Bhojpuri films, because these days scripts are weak. I was misquoted.
What do you think about Kolkata?
My first Bhojpuri film was shot in Kolkata. The heroine of my hit film, Saiyyan Hamar, which was also the first silver jubilee Bhojpuri hit, had Bengali heroine Arpita as my co-actor. I also shot with Abhishek and Aishwarya for Raavan in the city. When I go to Kolkata, mast ho jata hoon. It is like a spa for me. Mujhe garibon ka Mithun kaha jata tha. Those who could not afford Mithun, used to sign me. I had long hair like him. Unki tarah tedha bhi chalta tha.
Your film, Jala Debh Duniya Tohra Pyar Mein, was shown at Cannes Film Festival in 2010 and also Toronto.Do you hope to recreate such magic in Bollywood?
I am a very dangerous actor. Bahut talent hai mujh mein. Think if I made it this big without a godfather, how talented I must be...
First, Raaz Pichle Janam Ka, then Bigg Boss and now Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. You seem to have a knack for reality shows...
I want to do one reality show every year. It goes with my personality. I made Bigg Boss famous with my line "Zindagi jhandwa phir bhi ghamandwa".
Do you believe in past life regression?
I believe in the shows I do. I also took a past life regression session to understand what I was in my past life. It turns out that I was a Naga sadhu, a naked sadhu in my past life. So now I know why I am a Shiva devotee.
If given an opportunity to do Bigg Boss, would you want to go in again?
I had my share of madness. Aur pagal nahi hona mujhe.
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