In the last 16 years, Ravi Dubey has grown incredibly as an actor and performer. From playing the lead in fiction shows to participating in reality programs, he has done it all in a short span of time. An achiever in a true sense, Ravi's journey has been wonderful. Let's not forget that he inspired many by delivering one of the most viewed Ted Talks sessions on The Secret To Achieving the Impossible.
Now, as he completes 16 years in showbiz, Ravi decided to add another feather in his cap by turning producer. He teamed up with his actress wife Sargun Mehta to produce a TV show titled Udaariyaan on Colors. Juggling between multiple roles, Ravi got another chance to celebrate success. On August 21, Ravi was honoured with the prestigious Jan Gaurav Puraskaar from the hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
In the middle of all this, PeepingMoon.com got in touch with Ravi for an exclusive conversation. Talking to us, the actor opened up about how the industry gave him a pedestal to perform and gave him a livelihood. He further revealed why he prefers finite commitments over infinite ones. The actor-producer shared that he and Sargun always wanted to produce content they believed in and when the opportunity came their way, they grabbed it.
Excerpts from the interview:
You completed 16 years in the industry. Has it treated you well by giving you enough opportunities to grow?
More than enough. The industry has embraced me with open arms. I am synonymous with my work as a performer and now as a creator. I have gratitude for this great industry that hasn’t just given me my livelihood, but also a pedestal to perform in front of a great audience.
How has your experience in the industry shaped you as a person?
My experience in the industry has made me a meticulous person. When I go out and meet people, they say, "Bohot hi glamorous hai aapki industry, maje hi maje hai." I tell them, "Aisa nahi hai." It is the most disciplined industry that you can come across. You are the commodity that you have to put forward. You are not marketing anything else. You are your commodity. For this, you have to be extremely disciplined, in terms of taking care of yourself, honing your craft, and being at your fittest best no matter what and how old you may be. You have to be your best version and there is no excuse. This requires immense discipline.
You recently won Jan Gaurav Puraskaar. It must be a proud moment for you..
I wouldn’t say I am proud of myself but I feel extremely grateful for the moment to have occurred in my life. When I got to know I have to go to Maharashtra Raj Bhavan and I would be receiving an acknowledgement from the Governor of Maharashtra, I was full of gratitude and I still am. It was a humbling moment to be on that stage.
How did your wife Sargun Mehta react to it?
Sargun was very excited and happy. She was the first one to put a post on social media. You’ll always see Sargun excited for developments happening in my life and vice-versa.
Since 2017, you haven’t signed many infinite daily shows. Why?
I stopped taking up infinite commitments because short term commitments excite me. I feel thrilled about shows that are for a finite period.
Are you happy with the decision of doing reality shows over daily soaps?
Of course.
You recently turned producer with Udaariyaan. What prompted you to turn to production?
It is a creative industry that has given us various opportunities that took our lives creatively, professional and personally ahead. One such opportunity came to us during the lockdown. Sargun and I had the intention that at some point in time, we’ll produce content that we believe in. When the opportunity came by, we embraced it.
Udaariyaan’s lead actors, Ankit Gupta, Isha Malviya and Priyanka Choudhary are relatively new to the industry. Was it a conscious decision to sign new actors and gave them a chance to fly under your wings?
Yes, it was a conscious decision. The way the characters are sketched out, new faces do more justice to it than ones who are already popular. I am happy to say that all Ankit Gupta, Isha Malviya and Priyanka Choudhary have gained immense popularity in just a few months. I would like to congratulate them. Somewhere we made the right decision of casting new faces for the show.
Sargun Mehta is doing Cinderella with Akshay Kumar..
My lips are tied, I can’t talk anything about it.
Are you planning to sign more Bollywood films now?
Everything is on the cards and we’ll be having a press conference very soon.
You were doing a film titled 3 Dev. What happened to that?
I wouldn’t know. I guess it has something to do with a stay order. All I remember is some legalities came in between. But that’s fine, it is a thing of the past now.
What’s on the plate for you next?
There are some extremely interesting projects but I don’t have the authority to talk about them yet.