RONIT ROY returned to the small screen last night with Adaalat 2. He talks to PRAKRITI ROY about the show, being involved in the creative side of things and about giving back to television
How will Season 2 be differentIJ
With Adaalat, there were things people liked, but they didn’t respond well to dinosaurs and all. This time, our attempt is to take everything good from the first season and let go of stuff that didn’t work. Viewers will see KD Pathak solving mysteries in a courtroom drama with two new assistants, played by young actors. There will be friction between old and new school of law. Sets will be grander and execution global.
Was there friction between old and new schools actingIJ
I hope not. They are nice kids and great actors. I’m not a person someone has friction with. Mentoring comes automatically to me. I believe in leading by example. I tell my co-actors not to put me on a pedestal, but I am always there to help. Sometimes there are healthy arguments with the director, but no friction.
Are you involved in Adaalat’s creative side as wellIJ
I am involved at every stage of the show. In the first season, I even wrote and/or directed some episodes. But my name never featured because I didn’t think it was necessary to take credit. This time, my involvement is limited to an actor’s suggestion as nobody knows KD better than I do.
With so many new channels and shows, what will make Adaalat stand outIJ
I don’t think all that! Thinking about channel strategy isn’t my job. I’m an actor and my job is to entertain people. Adaalat is coming back because people wanted it back. I was called by Sony for a different show, I suggested that we go with Adaalat 2 instead of starting something new. The channel agreed.
Are you done with daily soapIJ
No, I’m not. TV is my mother and I don’t want to insult or abandon her. I was a dead actor and TV gave me life. But I would like to humbly state that what’s happening on TV today is regressive. There’s no forward momentum. I am in talks with a channel and some like-minded people for a new show. I have bought rights to a few works which we may or may not put on TV. The daily soap I do next will be an attempt to raise my bar as an actor and get out of that regressiveness, rather than the same mundane thing I did 15 years back.
Are we looking at any adaptations from the WestIJ
Not at all. We have immense talent and content in India. People here have been doing amazing work. Once I can provide them with a good platform, my graduation to a director and/or producer will happen automatically. Till then, I will stay away from daily soap because when someone else is doing it, what I hear at the outset is different from where I find myself after a month’s telecast.
Your last serial, Itna Karo Na... was on air for only a year. Is shorter format betterIJ
The length of the show doesn’t matter; content is king. If you have the content for 10 years, you should run it. If there is an incident worth being told in 10 episodes, you can’t prolong it to 25 just to fill up air time. Audience as well as actors get bored.
What about web seriesIJ
I feel it’s still not the right time. Telling beautiful stories requires a larger scale. Currently, web in India is still a seed. Once I see the first shoot, I will be on the web as an actor, producer and director.
You juggle between movies and TV. Do you prefer one over the otherIJ
I prefer to juggle. It all started with Udaan which happened randomly. I shot and came back. Even after the other movies, I came back to TV. This year, I will be shooting five films. But TV is my home, so I always come back to it. I am on TV for good. There is no strategy for balancing.
Before TV happened to you, what kept you going despite being a ‘dead actor’IJ
I live by my instinct, my emotions, and I let them drive me. I am not a strategist, analyst or visionary.
I became an actor for other things like the lure of a good life. I wanted to be a hero then. Today, I want to be an actor. I want to grow as an actor. When Balaji called me, I didn’t have money to feed myself. Beggars can’t be choosers, so it wasn’t a calculated shift. That work and subsequent shows translated to showcasing what I could do.
Most of the characters you portray in films are grey. Is that a conscious decisionIJ
Aren’t we all grey in real lifeIJ Today that I know the difference between a hero and an actor, I want to be the latter. The roles I do are the kind that actors, not heroes, do. But you will be seeing me in Saat Kadam soon which is not a grey character. I am shooting for a Hollywood film called The Field with Brendon Fraser. That is a strong character, not grey. Somehow filmmakers see me in strong characters, maybe that’s a typecast. But I would love to do a comedy too, like playing Joey of Friends. I am debating a comedy with Sony.
What is your take on Indian actors going to HollywoodIJ
We are not going there, they are coming to us! They sign Indian actors because they need us. Fraser is coming to shoot in India, I’m not going to lA. Isn’t that good for our nation, creating jobsIJ It has definitely created an opportunity for me. There is an Oscar-nominated actor who is directing a film next year which I’m supposed to do (I’ve agreed verbally). He met me at my home. If not anything else, I got a friend. All I want is to bring the good things from Western TV to Indian TV, only for my audience. Art has no boundaries.