Experiments work in films, not in TV: Ram Kapoor (Interview)

Comments [ 0 ] By IANS | 25 May 2011 | 7:53am

Agra, May 25 (IANS) Seasoned actor Ram Kapoor, who has been in showbiz for 14 years and worked in TV as well as films, says experiments in storytelling yield more favourable results on the big screen owing to multiplexes.

'I think experimentation is being practised on both the platforms - television and Bollywood - but it is much more fruitful on the big screen because of multiplexes,' Ram, 37, told IANS in an interview.

'Bollywood experimentation is working. On the contrary, TV does take the risk of bringing different subjects and projects, but these don't pay off.

'Films like 'Rang De Basanti' and 'No One Killed Jessica' have played an important role in reaching out to the masses and waking them up. We have seen people binding together and standing for causes. The most recent was when people got together and fought against corruption with Anna Hazare,' he added.

Ram was seen in the critically acclaimed film 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi', the much appreciated 'Monsoon Wedding' and 'Udaan'. He also featured in 'Karthik Calling Karthik'.

'After 'Udaan', I have been doing a lot more scripts, but five years ago such subjects would not have not got money-backing. Would you have imagined five years back a film like 'Udaan' being released with no stars, no item numbers, no glamour... nothing?,' he said.

After finishing his graduation, Ram decided to plunge into showbiz, but before doing that he went to the US to do an acting course. Popularly known as Jai Walia of 'Kasamh Se', Ram's first debut assignment on TV was 'Nyay' (1997) and he continued his stint with a string of shows such as 'Kavita'(1998), 'Ghar Ek Mandir'(2000), 'Kehta Hai Dil' (2002) and 'Basera'(2009).

In 2009, he turned host for Imagine TV's much-hyped wedding reality show 'Rakhi Ka Swayamvar' and continued to do that for the second season 'Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jaayega'.

He is excited about making a comeback on television with Sakshi Tanwar with Sony's forthcoming show 'Bade Achche Lagte Hain' about love after marriage.

Produced by Balaji Arts, the show, going on air May 30, revolves around a business tycoon in his late 40s and a working woman in her late 30s.

'I am happy that I am getting the kind of work I have always wanted to do. The roles, the scripts - I feel my weight and my look are favouring my stars,' said Ram who bagged the main lead despite being overweight.

'I consider myself a character actor, I am not the leading hero type;

I don't fall in that category. I feel I belong to the league of actors like Boman Irani and Anupam Kher,' said Ram who also has interesting movies in hand.

'I am currently working on two films. One is Karan Johar's 'Short Term Shaadi' - I play a Las Vegas real estate king. There is a lot of comedy in the film. My work is more with Boman, Ratna Pathak Shah and Imran Khan. The Vegas schedule is finished and we have to shoot the India part.'

He even plays a Russian mob boss in a film by Sriram Raghavan.

'The other film is 'Agent Vinod' where I play a Russian mob boss. The director wanted to experiment with my look and diction. Luckily, I am very good with accents.'

Ram has divided his time equally between the small and big screen.

'Now I am getting meaningful roles. I give 15 days a month to TV and the other 15 to films. Sometimes it becomes hectic but it is a good period for my career; so I have no reason to complain,' said Ram.

He admits all this comes at the cost of family time.

'My family does suffer - my children miss me. But whatever I am doing at the end of the day is for them. And in every actor's career, there is a period when you become hot; you have to capitalize on that. Now the time is mine,' said the actor who is married to co-star Gautami and has two children.

(Manpreet Kaur can be contacted at [email protected])

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