Ronit Roy Interview: My kids more important than truth

With his dynamic personality and spontaneous acting, Ronit Roy has become the uncrowned Badshaah of Indian television. The actor in conversation with India Blooms correspondent Sreya Basu while he breezes through Kolkata to promote his popular soap ‘Bandini’

According to you, what is behind the growing popularity of ‘Bandini’ that is aired on NDTV Imagine?

I think it’s the unconventional storyline-a young girl forced into a marriage of convenience with an elderly man twice her age.

What is the USP of your character in this serial?

See, the USP of the character is for the audience to tell. Hum log toh character mein ghus jaate hai…ab audience ko uss character mein kya special lagti hai yeh toh who hi baata sakte hai. Like the character of Rishabh Bajaj in the serial Kasautii Zindagii Kay was meant to stay on-screen for three months. But the role was extended to eight years. Ab hume toh pata nehin kya hua, kaise hua, it was an audience demand.

As for me, I think it’s the rural dynamism that’s the USP of the character Dharamraj Mahiyavanshi. It’s long that audience have seen a serial revolving round a character that has a kingly attitude.

Are you comfortable wearing traditional dhoti-kurta throughout the serial?

Yes, very much…that’s why even today (off-screen) I am wearing a black kurta and white dhoti. Since the time I entered the television industry, I am wearing three-piece suit. But this kind of dresses make you feel really comfortable…hawa aati rehti hai (laughs).

Despite being a Bengali, you speak chaste Gujrati in the serial…

Ya, that’s because my schooling was in Ahmedabad…my father was a civil engineer, he was posted there. So I have picked up the language well. Besides two of my co-actors are Gujarti…they help me out with the accent.

You had to work extra hard for this ‘rural dynamism’ look?

No…just that I have grown my own moustaches (smiles)

Most of your serials are Ekta Kapoor productions. Why is that?

Well it’s not planned. Actually Ekta Kapoor comes with such innovative concepts and characters that it’s hard to say ‘no’ to her offers.

You started with the big screen and then shifted to television. Was this a voluntary decision?

Absolutely. After ‘Jaan Tere Naam’, the situation was such that I didn’t get the characters that I was looking for. Whereas, when Rishabh Bajaj’s charcter was offered to me, I was certain that this is going to be challenging. And I was proved right.

Are you doing any other serials at the moment?

No…I am hardly left with any time after shooting for this serial. Besides, what I am getting for ‘Bandini’ is enough for me at the moment.

You literally rocked at dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhlaja’ . Do you want to participate in any other reality show?

I had to really work hard for two months for ‘Jhalak’ and I am happy that people appreciated me and my dance. But I am no longer interested in taking part in reality shows because there is no reality in such shows any more. They are just like any television programmes.

So, you don’t want to take hot seat at reality shows like ‘Sach Ka Saamna’?

Every human makes mistakes-knowingly and/or unknowingly- in his life and I am no exception. But if my truths hurt my three kids, I would better not come out with it. I have a 18-year-old daughter (studying in America), a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, and they are more important to me than truth. I will never do anything that will hurt them. I can’t come out with all truths of my life and hurt my kids, while the channel makes money.

Are you doing any films?

I have done a guest appearance for my brother Rohit Roy’s soon-to-be-released production ‘Pankh’ starring Bipasha Basu and Maradona Rebello. Besides, I finished shooting for Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Udaan’ with actor Ram Kapoor in Jharkhand. The film will be released post-Durga Puja.

Your brother Rohit Roy has turned producer with ‘Pankh’. Don’t you want to produce one too?

I don’t want to be a producer. I only understand the creative aspect of filmmaking. So may be, some day I will try my hand at directing a film. I have some plans too. But these things take too much time which I can’t afford at the moment.

You share your birthday with Amitabh Bachchan and a magazine even referred to you as ‘the Amitabh Bachchan of small screen’. How do you feel about it?

It’s very nice to hear such things…I am lucky that I share my birthday with such an icon. But such comparisons are scary because that automatically increases my responsibility. I have to go a long way to meet up to the expectations of my fans.

(photos by Avishek Mitra)