Chat transcript-Ravi Behl

Transcript of live chat with Ravi Behl, Actor and Anchor on January 20, 2004

Ravi Behl
Actor & Anchor

"Boogie Woogie is something I would never leave"
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Ritu> Hi Ravi! Why don't we see you in films these days? Now don't give a clichd answer to this, saying you are not getting your kind of roles?
Ravi Behl> To be really honest, nobody wants me in films these days. I have become Buddha (old) now with all my salt and pepper hair. On a serious note, ever since the dance show Boogie Woogie has started on TV, I never really went to producers looking for work because there was always an idea that besides being talented in acting, you got to be more talented in apple-polishing.

Henna> What kind of movies do you want to do? Any dream role that you want to portray on screen?
Ravi Behl> Anything that catches my fancy; i could be positive or negative. Something that really excites me otherwise I am really laid back in life.

Freaky> After being with the TV industry for nearly a decade, can you tell us what ails this industry? The soap operas have become a real bore!
Ravi Behl> I think the biggest ailment that the TV industry has in India, as opposed to the west, is that we have a major dearth of comic writers. I agree with you that all the 'soaps' are extremely monotonous. They are mostly about women in mangalsutra with designer bindis so much so that you tend to forget which serial she is from and whose wife she plays, as all of them look the same. There is so much of crying happening on these soap operas that a big chunk of expenditure from the budget must be on glycerine. I think if people just widen their minds and get out of the rut of doing the same thing, we'll have more variety.

Vicks> You must have answered this many times, but can you tell me how did this entire Boogie Woogie thing started for you?
Ravi Behl> Nawed Jaffery (co host) and I are like brothers. Our friendship goes back to 20 years ago or even more than that. One day we were just chilling at my place and my film Agnisakshi had just released which was a super hit. I was very thrilled but at the same time I was also very insecure. 'Apple-polishing' was an art, which at the same time, I hadn't really learnt and TV was just coming up. And so I felt that one must do something on the side for reasons of financial security. Nawed agreed with me and we were bouncing off ideas when he said why don't we do something different. Then shows based on music (songs) were really happening. But there was nothing about dance. We strongly believed that every home in India had at least one aspiring singer and a dancer. And since Jaaved, Nawed and I were known for our dancing; we thought that doing a dance show would be ideal for people like us. This is how the show Boogie Woogie came up.

Jammed> Did you guys imagine Boogie Woogie to be such a big hit when it was at a planning stage?
Ravi Behl> Like all other producers we were very enthusiastic about the show but to be very honest we never knew it will touch such heights. The first year we were really laughed at by a lot of people as to what kind of show we had produced. But, the second year onwards we started kicking ass.

Sunny> Do you like working with kids or it's a knack you have developed on your shows?
Ravi Behl> Children are always a pleasure to work with. In fact I would think that the reason for our energy levels to be high on the show is these kids and their enthusiasm. I still remember that one episode where we had (actor) Govinda to judge the show. He came on the sets pretty late in the night (after his work) and requested us to rap up the episode early. He was really, really tired. But once he saw the kids perform, you could literally see that his expression changed. He brightened up, turned around and asked me to take as much time as I wanted to complete the episode. He was absolutely enjoying that. I personally feel that kids are the greatest supporters of our show.

Roshni> Ravi, you are not a singer but how do you manage a show like Hai Na Bolo Bolo ?
Ravi Behl> I had cut a music album (only one that I have done so far) called Ravi - no ego here but the title was my producer's idea. The show Hai Na Bolo Bolo was originally being co-hosted by Karan (of Band of Boys). However, midway Karan had some date problems (and probably couldn't give much time to the show). I guess the producers must have heard me in my album and watched Boogie Woogie . The producers were happy with my energy levels and that's why they approached me. I liked the concept; it was nice and the money made me smile. That's how I got it.

Raj> If your anchoring duties clash with acting, which one would you prefer to give up?
Ravi Behl> I think you got to be an actor for both- acting as well as anchoring and like I said whether it's anchoring or acting, whichever of them excites me more. I shall take it up. You have a date diary to accommodate dates so nothing can ever clash if you don't want it to. Acting has always been my first love but then Boogie Woogie is something I would never leave.

Soni> Tell us something about yourself. Are you married? Do you belong to a film family? How did you get into films?
Ravi Behl> I am not married that's why I am still smiling. I do belong to a film family. My father was a film producer and he made films like Duniya with Dev Anand, Vijyantimala and he also made Gold Medal with Rakhee and quite a few other films. I was not new to the film industry even as a kid. I got my first break in films at 11. The person who took me was the director of Gold Medal. He was making a movie based on karate. My father had just passed away and he suddenly called me up one day and asked me to act in it. My mom's condition with me was that as long as it wouldn't interfere with my studies, I was allowed to act in film at such a young age. I studied at St. Teresa's High School in Mumbai and then completed college. As a person I am pretty chilled out in life - love to watch TV and films, love good food, Rajma and chicken cheese being my favourites and I love music. In fact it makes me cry - language is no bar. It should just sound good. I hang out a lot with my friends and try to strike a balance between work and play.

Jammed> The talents that are shown on Boogie Woogie , have they gone ahead and made a career in dance or entertainment? Have you guys been able to promote anyone?
Ravi Behl> Absolutely, it really makes me proud to say that quite a few have made in the field of music and dance. There are certain winners of Boogie Woogie who went ahead and started dance schools. These people have at least 300 children learning from them at any given point of view. I do get calls from ad agencies, when they have seen a particular kid who can dance and they need them for an ad. So, a lot of kids are models already. In fact Suhail Khan had used these look alikes from my show in his film. Subhasji (Ghai) once called up for a girl called Fulwa who was great in gymnastics and she helped Aishwarya with gymnastics for the film Taal . We have just had the mega finals where the winners would feature in a music video by Sony music. Ganesh Acharya (dance director) was the judge and he promised to give them free training for a month.

Shalini> After Ladkiyan (song) are you planning to sing in any more music albums? You dance so well. Why don't we see you in music videos?
Ravi Behl> I just did it as a hobby. I will definitely sing in the near future. I love dancing, I love music and that's why I enjoy Bo ogie Woogie . A music video also concerns dancing and that's what all I love it. Like a wise man once said, always make your hobby your profession and you will never have a single working day in your life. I guess I will definitely go ahead and make the hobby of music my profession as well.

Signoff Message> It's been over seven years that we have been going strong on TV with this dance show. Many thanks to the love and support of all you out there. Keep watching my show. Thanks and bye.