‘If you love work, it will love you'

RAVI DUBEY ON HIS SUCCESSFUL TV JOURNEY AND PERFECT RELATIONSHIP WITH WIFE SARGUN MEHTA

by ASJAD NAZIR

Whether it is hosting, delivering a convincing performance as an actor or just showing off his dance moves on a reality show, Ravi Dubey has conquered all areas of television in an impressive way.

The hard-working Indian star has lit up diverse shows on various TV channels and shown off an impressive array of skills. The husband of popular actress Sargun Mehta is also one half of a celebrity couple beloved by fans all over the world. Eastern Eye caught up with Ravi to speak about his amazing TV journey, inspirations, future hopes, romance and more...

How do you look back on your journey on TV?

It has now been 15 years in the industry and every step has catapulted me into a newer dimension. Every time there was a success and so-called failure, which became learning, it gave me a great perspective on life and career, and kept me rooted. Everything that has happened, including the shows and kind of work, has contributed to what one has become today.

How did you feel facing the camera for the first time?

To be very honest, I didn’t know the technical aspects of facing the camera. It was for a motorcycle commercial on television by (director) Mr Shoojit Sircar. I felt lucky to have begun the journey under his direction. The big budget commercial was shot in Ramoji Film City Hyderabad. I absolutely loved it! I am lucky to have started with such a product.

Which project has given you the greatest joy?

Each project has given me a lot of happiness. My first brush with popularity was when I started doing the show Karol Bagh on Zee TV. Before that, I did shows like Yaha Ke Hum Sikander and Ranbir-Rano where I played the lead. Even though a lot of people were not

seeing them, my joy and enthusiasm towards working was just as it is now. I think if you

love your work, your work also loves you.

Tell us more...

When you nourish the professional area of your life, the professional area will also nourish you. But if you ask me in the recent past then Jamai Raja has given me huge joy. Rising Star has been the most exciting journey, and Nach Baliye, which I did with Sargun, was a joy. (Laughs) I think if I start selecting, I will count all my shows.

Do you enjoy acting or hosting more?

I think more than acting or hosting, I enjoy performing. I like to associate with the camera. It brings out the best in me and makes me more alive. Whether it’s performing, dancing,

acting, hosting, TV, films and even as a producer, the fact I am connected to the industry

brings me great joy.

What was the experience of participating in reality TV shows and would you do any more?

I would not like to do competitive reality shows. But reality TV as a whole is a very organic atmosphere and I love being a part of it. I am really full of gratitude for that. So I am loving this new experience.

Do you have a dream role as an actor?

I think every actor has a dream role. I would like to be a part of a biopic.

If you could portray a real-life person, who would it be?

I would not like to mention that now. Everyone will get to know in due course.

You said you wouldn’t act in a daily soap; why is that? 

I have already mentioned many times that it’s not about fiction or non-fiction. It’s about longterm commitment, which doesn’t excite me too much. Shorter commitments, which are three or four months, bring me more excitement. I am able to give my full intensity when I know the time of its end. Mostly in India, the shows are infinite in nature, which doesn’t excite me too much.

Is cinema on the radar for you?

Everything is on the radar for me! I am enjoying the space and capacity I am attached to in this creative industry. I think it’s not a Bollywood or television industry. All in all, it’s an Indian entertainment industry. I am part of it and very excited about it. When the time is right I will turn my wheel towards films, but till then I am very happy to give my best on television.

You must be incredibly proud of the work your wife Sargun Mehta is doing,

especially in Punjabi cinema?

Yes, I am very proud. All her achievements and successes are like a medal on my chest. Team Ravi and Sargun are on air and they have so much power. I really feel that I have done something very good in the past to have Sargun in my life.

Do you two talk much about work at home?

We talk about everything under the sun. We are a team! We only look forward to each other’s critique and encouragement. The only feedback that matters is each other’s. We talk about work, food, cinema and everything else. It’s actually like two best friends who are married to each other.

What qualities do you most admire about Sargun as an actor?

I admire her subtle nature. On the big screen, you need to live by the three words ‘less is more’, in the sense that a small word can say something very big. The slightest twitch of an eyebrow should communicate much bigger things than any loud and animated gesture. She is a very subtle and very beautiful actor. She does less, but her expressions and craft speak volumes. Her craft is so beautifully in place that I will be lucky to share a space with an actress as powerful as Sargun Mehta.

So how much of a romantic are you in real life?

I am not a romantic guy at all. I don’t believe in the romance which is so beautifully sold by greeting card companies because I think that’s a saleable kind of romance. But for me romance is a partnership, and in that partnership you must be constantly moving ahead. You must be constantly achieving successes together as a team.

Tell us more...

For me, the teamwork is the most beautiful part of a love story or romance, where you

are standing behind each other; where you are sharing life and every single thing and

every step. You are a powerful couple. We share that kind of romance, not the classic

greeting card type of one.

You are multi-talented but if you could learn something new, what would it be?

I am not a very patient reader, but I still love to read. I am constantly reading while surfing

over the Internet. I try to eavesdrop in the mind of some great thinkers through their quotes, lives and biopics. I am a history buff and like to know a lot about things. I am a physics buff and like to know how this beautiful space we are part of works. So I keep reading a lot online and learning. It’s one of my major hobbies. I love to spend time with friends. I am a fairly extrovert person, but I also love to read people. I keep looking at people to learn or know something new from them.

What is the best advice that anyone has ever given you?

Ashish Thakur, a close friend of mine, gave me this advice, which is ‘when the why is clear, the how follows’. That means when the intent behind something is clear, then how it will come to manifest in your life will follow. So now whenever I have a desire, its first backed with a genuine intent and the how will then come to manifestation.

What can we expect next from you? 

There is a whole lot to expect from me! In terms of production, there is a lot happening this year. In terms of being a performer or an actor, a lot is also happening. But when the right time does come, I will do those announcements.

What is the master plan going forward?

I have never really planned much. I have always believed in the organic fruition of things. I have great faith in the fact that everything is happening for the best.

Today, what inspires you?

Everything inspires me. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you can take inspiration from the blooming of a flower to every individual around you. You don’t need to block your head or thinking that there is one or two ways of taking inspiration from some people only. I genuinely take inspiration from everyone.