'I am observant by nature'

Ravi Kissen, the blue-eyed boy of Bhojpuri films, is excited to have finally made his mark in Bollywood. He will soon be seen in Bajatey Raho, in which he will be  playing a substantial role as an anti-hero.

The actor says that he has broken the language barrier and admits that the reality television show Bigg Boss has changed his life.

“After the show, I was approached with many stories and scripts. In fact, I have many films in my kitty like Bullett Raja and Issaq, where people will get to see me in a different avatar.

Right now, I feel very lucky and can’t stop thanking my stars. Promoting my film and visiting different cities is a unique experience. All this just goes to show that actors from smaller industries do have an opportunity to make it big in life. For me, there is no turning back from here,” he says.

The actor adds that he has achieved all this through sheer hard work and one has to be consistent in their performance to reach the stars. When asked if he is a director’s baby, he responds that he is to some extent. However, he does have an independent streak.

“I do listen to my directors, but I am observant by nature. I observe people around me. When I meet someone, I try and observe the shades of that person. When a movie is offered to me, I try and get into the skin of the character and this helps me while I am delivering in front of the camera. A lot of my homework is also done when I am alone and there is no one around me. Directors today give a lot of freedom to actors, which helps us in bettering our performances,” he notes.

The actor has been essaying a wide variety of characters in different films but his favourite directors are Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam.

 “Working with such great directors has brought out the best in me. I try to be as
spontaneous as possible and that spurs me to do well,” he says. Ask him about Bigg Boss and he adds that he is what he has shown on screen.

“I have shown my real side on television; this is who I am. I really gelled well with Amit Sadh and Carol Gracias. They were a good bunch of people. Rakhi Sawant is a live wire — she was mast, kept to herself and did not meddle with other people’s lives. I still remember the Continental breakfast that Carol used to prepare for us,” he quips.

The actor has fond memories of Bangalore and says that he has visited MG Road several times and loves the weather in the City. He is gearing up for the release of his upcoming movie and will also entertain the audience down south with a Telugu film.