February 2, 2005: From the Edge of the Abyss

Published: Volume 13, Issue 1, January - February, 2005

"I partied hard, drank like crazy…I would report for work with bags under my eyes and a massive hangover. I was on extreme overdrive. I wanted to drink it all up in a single gulp."

Like the legion of adventurers before him, he too came to Mumbai in search of the moon. For a brief moment, he got both his hands on it…then it slipped away. Today, Ronit Roy has finally found his slice of sky on television, playing the much-talked about Rishabh Bajaj and Mihir Virani in two popular soaps. Madhulika Varma meets the actor who both lost and found himself, on the spiralled road to success.

Even today, his direct gaze falters, as Ronit Roy recalls his slow descent into the abyss. He could easily dismiss the past because, today, Rishabh Bajaj is one of television’s most talked-about characters… and Ronit Roy is a star.

As a darned good-looking little boy in Ahmedabad, he wanted to be a film hero like Bruce Lee and Amitabh Bachchan. When he was 19, his dad bought him a ticket to the town he’d dreamed about all his life. Mumbai. The address he gave him, belonged to an old friend, a man called Subhash Ghai.

”Ghaisaab is like my father,“ Roy explains. ”I couldn’t question his authority, so I put my dream on hold and worked my knuckles down, cooking, bartending, cleaning, waiting tables… sometimes, when the heart sank in despair, I’d throw a mild tantrum….Then Dad died.“ It was as if he’d stepped on a high-tension wire.

He recalls, ”I returned home and told Mr Ghai I wasn’t going back to Sea Rock. The next day, I joined Mukta Arts (Ghai’s production house) as the 11th assistant director on films like Hero and Karma. For the next few years I fetched the paan and the props.“And then that call came. The one he had been waiting for virtually all his life. Director, Deepak Balraj, had seen him in a shampoo ad and wanted to cast him in a romantic musical, Jaan Tere Naam.

Jaan Tere Naam was a success. From the perennially short-of-funds assistant director in scruffy shoes, he was ‘Ronit Roy’, the rising new star. ”Girls recognised me on the streets, women left lipstick marks on the bonnet of my car and the glossies called to line up interviews. This was my dream. I wanted to be a star. For the fame, the big bungalows, the adulation…I wasn’t one of those guys pursuing a consuming passion for acting,“ he says candidly. And, now, he’d tasted blood.

He bought his first pair of shades and a Mercedes Benz and dived into the wicked world of the rich and famous. ”I partied hard, drank like crazy…I would report for work with bags under my eyes and a massive hangover. I was on extreme overdrive. I wanted to drink it all up in a single gulp.“ he cringes. And, so began the slow drift into darkness. His wife was flung into the vortex with him. He remembers that night, ”I packed up all my fancy gear into my Mercedes and left.“ Some nights he would sleep in his car. Or find a hotel and drink himself to sleep, and go shoot in the morning. Or party with friends till the early hours of the morning. ”Anything to escape myself. There was no sense of self, no introspection, all the lights were out. It was as if I had taken an eraser and I was rubbing out my own existence.“

For the rest of the article, pick up VERVE’s January-February, 2005 i

February 14, 2005 - Ronit on Valentine's Day

  Ronit Roy (Mihir from ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ and Mr. Bajaj from ‘Kasauti Zindagi Ki’): I know this may sound clichéd, but everyday that I spend with my wife is a Valentine’s Day. This day is earmarked exclusively for romance. So one would make a little extra effort to express their love. I was supposed to be with my wife in Goa this year on Valentine’s Day. But due to a busy work schedule and problems with the production house for dates I cannot take her to Goa. So I guess I shall gift her jewellery with diamonds. Also since we have a baby she will also be a part of our Valentine’s Day.

April 29, 2005: Ruling the Small Screen

SHOWBUZZ NETWORK

The most wanted man on the small screen, Ronit Roy has been doing very selective roles, maintaining his popularity. Slowly and steadily he has grown to become the hottest male actor on television. Replacing Amar Upadhyay to play Mihir Virani of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi can be quite a challenge, considering the fan-following Amar enjoyed. But Ronit rose to the task and soon won over a lot of the female fans. Wooing women of all ages, Mr. Bajaj of Kasauti Zindagi Ki is probably the most suited character Ronit has played. Now playing a father of grown ups in the Balaji serials, the young actor also gets to play the son of a shrewd politician in Sarrkkar.

”Kasauti had started with my character being a father of grown up children,“ says Ronit. In Kyunki…, a serial with way too many characters, Mihir’s character has almost reached a dead end. ”I don’t agree. No character can reach a dead end on television. In serials, the focal point keeps shifting from one character to the other.

Any character can be brought to back to life by bringing it into focus. If Mihir has an affair or gets a heart attack, he’ll become the focus again. .“

Both sensitive and obedient, this role in Sarrkkar demands for the actor to put his best forward. The story revolves around a family into politics. After the death of the father, the mother plans to take over his post as the CM. The dominating mother runs the family on the strength of her two sons, played by real life brothers - Ronit and Rohit Roy. Playing the sober and more practical son, Ronit portrays Kunal Pratap Singh brilliantly. ”He is the elder son of a family that has been into politics for many years,“ says Ronit, ”He is a straight-forward and idealistic man, who does not believe in politics.“ Quite different from the roles he has played in the Balaji serials, the character of Kunal in Sarrkkar shows Ronit at his best. ”Every role is a bit different from the others because characters are different. In Sarrkkar, my character has a different body language and a different manner of approaching his relationships,“ he says. Fans will be disappointed to find that a rumour doing the rounds on the media is that Ronit Roy will be walking out of Kyunki… because of date problems. With Sarrkkar, Ronit has been too busy with the new serial to give enough time to Kyunki…. Ronit refuses to comment on this, ”I will talk about it when the time is right.“ For now, he is concentrating on his current projects, ”I am not inclined to starting any new projects yet, mainly because there is no time,“ he adds.

After conquering many a hearts on the small screen, he is open to the idea of acting in Bollywood, but he is going to be very selective about it. ”I did a couple of cameos in the

past years, but I have decided not to do any more of those. I had done them for either returning favours or maintaining my relationships. Now I will only do a film looking at the merit of the character.“

April 28, 2005: Mr. Bajaj's mark of protest

Ronit Roy, who plays Mr Bajaj in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, was recently caught in a fix when his boss Ekta Kapoor threatened to replace him from the show if he continues shooting for rival Zee TV’s Sarrkar.

Roy refused to comment on his decision on whether to opt out of Kasautii or try and convince the channel to change the show timing to prevent a clash with Ekta’s pet Kasautii.

We recently heard that Roy came up with his own unique style of protesting against Kapoor’s dictate. Apparently, he has been wearing a black band on his right hand to show his dissent on her point of view.

When contacted he said, ”Yes, I was wearing it for a while. That was my way of displaying my emotions. However, I have removed it now.“

Roy refused to say whether he had made up his mind over the matter. ”I would like to reserve my statement for a better time.“

April 25, 2005: Kasautti without Mr. Bajaj!

 By: Upala KBR

April 25, 2005

Mr Bajaj of Kasautii Zindagi Kay has driven himself into a tight spot from where even Prerna will not be able to save him. Ronit Roy, who shot to fame with Balaji Telefilms’ serials like Kasautii… and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, has angered big boss Ekta Kapoor.

He’d made certain commitments to her that he hasn’t been able to meet. Anyone who has worked with Ekta knows that the lady is adaptable only to a point, after that it’s either her way or the highway. So it looks like Mr Bajaj may well be on the way to the highway, and may just find himself out of Star Plus’s long-running serial, Kasautii.…

Ekta admits, ”We are considering replacing him in Kasautii if he does Sarrkaar.“

What is the reason behind the fall-out? Says Kapoor, ”A few months ago, when Ronit signed up for a new serial called Sarrkaar, (Zee TV) he assured me that it was going to be a weekly and he would be able to give time for both Kyunki… and Kasautii…. Shooting for two dailies is tough enough and I knew that a third show would make things worse, but I still relented because he seemed sincere.

The second commitment Ronit made was that the time slot for Sarrkaar would not clash with Kasautii. He told me the time slot for Sarrkaar was fixed in the 9 pm or 9.30 pm slot.“

Now, of course, we all know that Sarrkaar is a daily and the show’s time slot is 8.30 pm. ”You can’t have the same lead actor in two different shows and channels at the same time. That is unethical, and Ronit had assured me that it wouldn’t happen,“ says Ekta.

Naturally then, Kapoor is upset. ”He told me the channel has broken their commitment to him. I told him that he should sort that out with them, but he has to choose between Sarrkaar or Kasautii.“

”I’ve told him that if he shoots for even half a day for Sarrkaar he is out of Kasautii…, and Ronit has assured me that he will not shoot for the new serial.“

Ronit Roy preferred to keep a stoic stand on the issue. ”I have no comments,“ is all that he was willing to say on the matter.

Obviously, Roy is waiting for the situation to sort itself out without him having to opt out of either show.

upala@mid-day.com

April 19, 2005: Ask a Star

Ask a star

   By: A hitList Correspondent 

April 18, 2005

He is seen in two of television’s most popular roles. As Mr Bajaj in Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Mihir Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Ronit Roy has carved a niche for himself as the proverbial nice guy on television.

Here’s Roy answering questions from his fans about his off screen and on screen life….

Did the portrayal of Mihir and Mr Bajaj enhance your personality in any way? If yes, which one influenced you more? — Arya

Dear Arya, I think all the traits that the two characters display were dormant in me for a long time. I guess after I got to do the roles they came alive in me. Also, I think when your work is appreciated and watched by so many people you become more responsible in real life.

Do you get bored of the same schedule for long time? — Indu

Dear Indu, not really because there is so much happening on the shows. In terms of track changes and twists, there is always something to look forward to.

For example, Kyunki is a large family. There is so much happening off screen with the actors, like someone is having babies, or getting married and stuff. There is a lot of bonding happening to keep the atmosphere fun.

What do you have to say about your off screen chemistry with Shweta Tiwari (Prerna)? — Sandeep

Dear Sandeep, she’s a very sweet girl and a brilliant actress. I have seen Shweta with her daughter and she comes across as a very loving mother. For me, she’s a great co-star to work with, there is no other off screen chemistry between us.

What’s your role in Sarrkar? — Sandhya

Dear Sandhya, I play the role of Kunal Pratap Singh, who has a different take on life. Sarrkar has a political background with the central characters having ideological clashes. I am very excited about it.

Are you leaving Kyunki? — Simran

Dear Simran, no, I am very much part of the show.

Are you as romantic as Mr Bajaj and would you be as sacrificing as him? — Shaan

Dear Shaan, I think am more romantic than Bajaj in real life. And as far as being sacrificing is concerned, I would give up everything for my family. My family has always been my priority and it will never change.

Which qualities and values helped you during your tough times? — Arti

Dear Arti, I think one has to be honest and you have to know where you stand and what you want to do with your life. I have always had a realistic outlook towards life and have tried to stay grounded. The minute you let your success go to your head, you start having problems in life.

Who is your favourite — Tulsi or Prerna? — Afreen

Dear Afreen, I think both have had their moments. While Kasautii is a love story, Kyunki has a more social platform. I have worked with Smriti and Shweta closely, and found them both very good at what they do.

Do you think Mihir’s track is getting illogical and he is being shown negative unnecessarily? — Ridhi

Dear Ridhi, I don’t decide where the track goes. I trust and follow Ekta Kapoor’s vision completely. My job is to deliver as an actor and not worry about the twists and turns in the show.

Do you give your brother Rohit Roy any advice? — Sajesh

Dear Sajesh, I am more of a father to him than a big brother. I would give him advice only if he asks for it. I respect him and his style of living his life. He is a very intelligent man and knows what is good or bad for him.

After your cameo in Kisna, are you looking at any other films? — Renuka

Dear Renuka, I would like to do films, but am not going to do any more cameos. I would definitely take up something that is interesting and challenging if it comes my way.

April 7, 2005: Ronit "Mihir" Bose Roy can cook

Ronit Bose Roy, our Mihir Virani of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu thi is a very good cook in real life. ” I don’t have the need to cook now but I am a very good cook. I have tried almost every cuisine. I cook very good Rajma, Paneer Chilli, pula and Dahibada. I used to make kofte of almost anything“ says Ronit. He further adds ”I used to cook out of necessity as well as curiosity. Very few people are aware that I have done Applied Catering & Nutrition technology management from MSU (Maharaja Sayaji Rao University), Baroda and started my career as a dishwasher in a hotel“.

April 1, 2005: "Life's as easy or difficult as you want it to be"

Life is as simple or as complicated as we want it to be“ says Ronit Bose Roy aka ”Mihir“ of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu thi has come a long way in his career and is loved by masses and classes. Here he shares his views and experiences in an exclusive conversation.

Ronit Roy as he speaks to Dr. Kaajal on spirituality, meditation and his mantra for living.

On Healing

I think essentially the first step is to want to heal; if you are depressed then you should first want to come out of the depression. The second step is you should know how to do it. Finally you should do it actually. People call this Creative visualization; I call it Wisdom, Skill and Divinity. You know what to do is Wisdom. You know how to do it is Skill. And if you are following the path set by you its divinity.

On Meditation

I don’t sit consciously and meditate. Frankly I don’t know how to meditate. From what I understand, meditation means focussing your complete energies on any particular thing at a time without getting distracted. In that case I practice meditation every day of my life. My focus is very strong. I have always lived in the moment.

On Destiny

Yes, I am a believer in Destiny. See, I know that I am not a lucky person, I have never won a lottery and I know I will never earn anything out of speculation. From what I have understood of my destiny, whatever I want I have to work for it, and then I definitely achieve it.

On Happiness

See I have always been a happy person. This is not to say that I am too cool. I have the whole gamut of emotions in me, yes I do feel angry and irritated at times but those are mainly physiological things. But at heart I am a happy person because till date, sooner or later I have always got what I wanted.

On Success

For me success is basically if my near and dear ones are happy and content. And if I can achieve my dreams then that is success. My dreams keep changing when I arrive at the destination of my earlier dreams. Then I have to go beyond my dreams. Reaching the heights of spirituality and wisdom would be the ultimate dream I guess.

On Intuition

Intuitions are definitely a part of the human thought process. Whether they are right or wrong is secondary. Every body has a sixth sense, some more active than the others. If a person is too busy with their lives, their intuitive power tends to get masked. At this point in time, I don’t think I have a sharp intuition but definitely hope that I am able to work on this aspect in my life.

Religious Ronit

Religious Ronit!

I am a religious person. I pray everyday. Actually, I delve so deep into religion that I feel I have reached a stage where I am confused. I have so many questions to ask, so I feel the need for a guru to answer these questions.

I know a few pundits and gurus who help me interpret the scriptures and understand it better. They are my medium. God is this supreme power. God is in everybody. The power is in each of us. There are some who have tapped that power and feel close to him.

Looking at the pressures of daily life, it’s not easy for one to really reach that level of attainment. That level is where you find out what life really is. That’s a point where all your questions are answered and you are one with your existence. There’s a sense of calm and you feel you are beyond everything.

There are some people who have attained this sense of satisfaction. They are people who seem to have found the path and they know where to go. Most of us don’t know where to go. We are still looking for that path. What I believe is that some reach (the path) earlier, some later, some don’t at all. Maybe they don’t feel the need for it in their life-time.

Prayer is important to me. I do puja everyday and read Hanuman Chalisa daily. And when I have the time I read other mantras. Over the past few years when I was not busy working I read the scriptures, books and started exploring it further. It’s more understanding, than reading. Basically there are no specifics. It’s entirely upto the individual, how he interprets it or how his teacher helps him interpret it.

At home, we do not start anything new without a puja. That’s least one can do to keep in touch with the spiritual side of our lives.

People turn to God when they feel completely helpless. That’s very good because it’s the beginning of realisation that there is the supreme power to help. But, one should not expect miracles. God is with me every moment. I try to take his name as frequently as possible.

On the sets, I greet people saying Jai Balaji. When somebody gives a good shot I say `Jai Bajrangbali, great shot’. My spot boy’s name is Om, I call out to him 50 times a day. I feel nice.

(As told to Roshni Olivera)

May 10, 2005: From Virani to Veer

From Virani to Veer

Exit Mihir Virani and Rishabh Bajaj. Welcome Kunal Veer Pratap Singh. After his early blockbuster Jaan Tere Naam, followed by a string of B-grade flops, Ronit Roy had re-discovered himself as an actor in Ektaa Kapoor?s K-sagas, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagi Kay. Now he may have to quit both the serials for the sake of his new avatar in the just-launched Shobaa De-written saga Sarrkkar ? Rishton Ki Ankahi Kahani.

While Ronit is not ready to talk about it (?no comments please?) TV town is abuzz with talk of Ektaa gearing up to replace him from the two hit soaps if he doesn?t leave Sarrkkar and give more dates to her productions.

That?s something Ronit may not be willing to do. ?Sarrkkar is my quest to do something different,? he tells Metro. ?My character of Kunal in the serial graduates beautifully over a period of time. It doesn?t stagnate with regular twists and turns after every 25-30 episodes.?

The look of his character in the serial, along with those of Divya Seth and Rohit Roy, has led many to believe that Sarrkkar is taken straight out of the lives of the Gandhis. ?I think it?s largely the political background that is making people get that image. Then again, what we do on television and in films is inspired from reality. But if it is actually a docudrama on the lives of the Gandhis, that hasn?t been conveyed to me.?

Sarrkkar also allowed Ronit to work with his brother Rohit for the first time, who incidentally is playing his screen brother in the serial. ?We have already shot 40-45 episodes and it was great working with Rohit,? recalls Ronit. ?We got to chat a lot during the shooting schedules. What?s most interesting is that both our characters in the serial are very close to our real-life characters.?

Ronit, who recently appeared in a cameo in Subhash Ghai?s Kisna, is still open to big-screen opportunities. ?I don?t get good film offers because people in the industry believe that I am too busy on television. I want to do quality film roles, not cameos. Kisna I did because Subhashji is like a dad. I would be happy to be associated with him in any possible way, even if it is just one shot.?

And with the controversy of him being fired from Ektaa?s K-team growing by the day, Ronit just wants to hibernate. ?I have had a jam-packed three years. My wife is pregnant and is in her ninth month. I would now like to learn ? everything from being a better actor to a good dad. The burnout factor is fast approaching me and I really need to take a break. I would hibernate soon unless something really different comes about.?

May 12, 2005: "I am on a paternity leave"- Ronit

ROSHNI OLIVERA

[ 12 May, 2005 2153hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

Actor Ronit Roy has quit two top TV shows. But he’s on a different high

Television top star Ronit Roy’s decision to quit the popular Ekta Kapoor shows, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagi Kay has shaken up the TV world, as well as viewers.

But Ronit’s in a different mood. ”I’m going on paternity leave now,“ he smiles. ”My wife is due anytime this month. There has not been much time together. I’ve got plenty of shopping to do. I’ve got to buy baby stuff. I’m very excited, I’m going to have a child after 14 years.“

Ronit’s elder daughter is with his ex-wife in the US. ”My daughter may be coming down. I’m eagerly waiting for that too.“ Family matters have taken precedence right now. But what about his decision to quit the two top shows? Is it a publicity stunt, as critics may allege? ”This is not a gimmick; it’s a serious issue. I’ve had a very good relationship with the producers. My achievements are all because of Balaji Telefilms,“ he says.

Ronit opted out of Ekta’s programmes because the new serial Sarrkar that he had signed was directly clashing with Kasautii … and that created some unpleasantness. Of course, Ronit refuses to comment on the matter. ”It is status quo right now. Talks with Balaji Telefilms are scheduled in the next few days,“ is all he’s willing to say. For now, he’s clear that his priority is the baby.

roshni.olivera@timesgroup.com

May 13, 2005: Ronit to meet Shobha Kapoor soon...

These are trying times for the most popular man on telly today. Ronit Bose Roy, the man who brought middle aged men back into fashion, will meet his creator, Shobha Kapoor in two days and decide on his final course of action.

Preparing for parenthood - Ronit Bose Roy

Ronit, who will be a papa in two weeks’ time, took a tough personal decision early this week by opting to quit the two most popular shows on television, and choosing to work for Manish Goswami’s Sarrkkar, that airs on Zee TV. A move that he says was a decision that caused a lot of personal anguish.

”It was something very emotional for me. I have a very close relationship with that family (Kapoors), and it’s not an employer-employee relationship, it’s something that I really cherish. That is why I don’t want to have any misunderstandings — I don’t want to say much because whatever I say will be quoted out of context…or misinterpreted…,“ says the visibly distressed actor, who seemed a little guarded about the issue.

Understandably so. With the media going overboard with the story of him leaving the shows, personal and professional problems must have been quick to follow. But, as they say, fame has its own price!

”This happened at the worst possible time for me. My wife is expecting and even she’s been affected by this. But I have faith in God and I am hoping everything will be sorted out,“ sighs Ronit, who has just bought a house for the soon-to-arrive baby.

On the sets of Sarrkkar in a studio in suburban Mumbai, we chat with him when he has a respite from the shoot. We talk about Mr Bajaj, his character in Kasautii Zindagi Kay, and his face lights up — ”He is the man! I can never repeat it…it’s a creator’s achievement to create this unique character….and able to sustain it for so long,“ says Ronit, who seems to be in awe of the character that has made him an icon.

As with Mihir and so with Mr Bajaj, Ronit seems to be all excited about being a daddy the second time round, a trait that he shares with his on screen persona — ”Nowadays I just shop for baby clothes — lots of yellows and reds…but I can’t buy a cot for the baby before it comes home, as tradition doesn’t allow it. Although, I don’t understand the logic of it,“ he says with a laugh.

So what else has he planned for the newborn, we ask — ”Nothing. Both my wife and I don’t believe in planning much. This baby too wasn’t planned…God has given me everything, and I have never pitched for anything. I don’t have brains to market myself…I just go with the flow,“ he says modestly.

Planned or not, Ronit has made a mark for himself as the man who made a style statement by going grey, yet retaining the charm that is so like the taste of wine, that is timeless!

May 13, 2005: Royal True, courtesy- TOI

Rishabh Bajaj of Kasauti will still stay on as Mihir Virani on TV… Kyunki, Ektaa Kapoor & Ronit Roy have declared peace for now

The never-ending soap opera of Ektaa Kapoor’s casting dilemmas seems to have come to a temporary end. Ronit Roy, the star of the Star serials Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (as Mihir Virani) and Kasauti (as Rishabh Bajaj), has decided to stay put in his roles… for now.

This decision was arrived at after a marathon meeting between Ronit and Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa’s mother. Insiders reveal that the discussions had all the ingredients of a classic soap opera — action, emotion and drama. More specifically, two major problems between Ronit and serial-maker Balaji were identified — one, Ronit features in the same time slot on a rival channel in a serial whose popularity reportedly unnerves Balaji; two, Ronit is not comfortable with his on-screen character Rishabh Bajaj meeting with an accident and slipping into coma. ”Ronit wasn’t happy with the plot and this lead to serious gap in communication between us. After the meeting, we have agreed to review everything and Ronit is very much with us,“ informs Shobha. In other words, Balaji will, in all probability, come up with a different script that doesn’t have an accident for Bajaj. ”Basically, I had an issue with the script. Now, I will continue to work with Balaji for the time being as the issue has been settled,“ says Ronit.

Industry insiders, however, maintain that the real issue is the emergence of the star system in Indian TV at the expense of the studio system. Ronit, of course, is quite a star and Balaji is a studio to reckon with. A similar star-versus-studio episode is provided by the spat between Rajiv Khandelwal (Sujal in Kahiin To Hoga ) deciding he didn’t like the plot and parting ways with Balaji. There is speculation in the domestic industry that things may go the way they have in the US, where studios have had to bear the brunt of TV star pay cheques going through the roof, like in the case of Seinfeld, which had two stars revolting but finally staying on when their pay was tripled.

Big money, bigger egos. Like they say, the soap opera isn’t over yet.

May 15, 2005: Life after Kasautti

Ronit Roy, the actor who got into a bitter tiff with Balaji head Ekta Kapoor, has finally made his decision to call it quits. The 9-year old antagonised his headstrong boss when his serial Sarrkar was aired in the same time slot as her soap Kasautii Zindagi Kii on Star Plus. Though he will soon be stepping down from the role of Rishabh Bajaj in Kasautii, the simple, straightforward actor is awaiting a ‘mutual acceptance’. We caught up with him on his way out of the K camp that earned him all the popularity that he owns now.

Did you think that Ekta was being unfair when she told you not to share your dates with Sarrkar?

I began acting in Sarrkar with the consent of Balaji Telefilms. Problems only arose after the two serials were aired in the same time slot, which as an actor I have no control over.

But, do you think that Ekta was unfair in her reactions?

I know Ekta personally and what people fail to realise about her is that she has numerous tasks at her hand. And unfortunately, there isn’t enough support from the Balaji camp to take the pressure away from her. The decisions that she takes under pressure are not necessarily reflections of her true nature. I think that girl needs a standing ovation for the excellent management that she has been doing for so many years.

What is the one thing that you are going to miss about Balaji.

Rishabh Bajaj. For instance, the gel that I use is five times more expensive than the usual thing they would provide for any other artiste. Shobhaji takes a personal interest in the clothes that I wear. She keeps on sending these neckties and fabulous suits for me.

Do you find yourself competing against yourself?

Yes, the time clash is not a happy one. But, then I have to do equal justice to both the roles.

How is the experience of working with your brother Ronit Roy for the first time?

First of all, I get to spend time with him, which I could not do earlier. Besides, I think that he is a better actor than I. Now that I am working with him, I get to observe him at work. We share a lot of our work ethics. Nowadays, we compete with each other to reach early on the sets.

Of Smriti Irani or Shweta Tiwari, who is your favourite co-actress?

I don’t believe in favourites. They both are so different as individuals that they cannot be compared. But, I have to give Smriti the credit for creating an instant comfort zone for me in the first scene after I had replaced the character of Mihir. After that, I did not have any problems doing the character that was already created by someone else before.

A day well spent is the day when?

I get up early in the morning, do my yoga, reach work in time, have a long lunch break when I get home-cooked food and the day when I reach home early, take my wife for dinner and sleep at a decent time.

An ideal woman.

My wife. After I got married, I only get up, come to work and go back home. I don’t know how my business or my house works. It is completely taken care of by my wife and I think there cannot be a better manager than her.

May 21, 2005: Mihir's got a new lady love

I can’t stop gushing over my baby,“ says a beaming Ronit Bose Roy, on bringing his wife Neelam and newborn daughter Aador home yesterday.

Although the mother and the baby were supposed to be discharged on Thursday, there was a minor complication due to which they were allowed to go home a day later.

Says Roy, ”It’s not a major problem. This ailment is common with newborn babies. The doctors had asked us to let the baby undergo photo therapy, which is why we had to keep her under supervision for one more day.“

However, Roy has got the photo therapy machine home since it was getting too tedious for the mother and the baby to stay in the hospital for so long. ”The doctors said it was alright to go home, so we decided to continue the therapy at my place,“ he says.

Ask him who the baby looks like and he says, ”Everyone in the hospital said that she looks like me. But I think her eyes and her chin have gone on my wife. I think she will eventually look like her when she grows up.“

The family has named the baby Aador. Roy says there are chances the name could be mispronounced. Explaining the correct way to pronounce Aador, he says, ”You have to be soft on the ‘d’. I have a feeling everyone’s going to call her ‘adore’. In Bengali, the name means affection.“

Talking about the choice of the name, Roy says, ”We decided to name the child Aditya if it was a boy, and Aador if it was a girl. I have also checked the name with my Guruji and numerologist Sunjay Jumani.“

He says it’s not customary in their family to have a compulsory naamkaran ceremony. ”I have had no time to think about ceremonies now, but once my mom takes over she will decide what is to be done.“

So does the baby make the second-time father tear his hair out with her non-stop crying?

”Not at all! In the hospital there were these babies wailing their lungs out, but Aador just makes these snorting sounds if she has to cry. In fact, her crying is quite musical if you hear it closely. However, once in a while she does wail loudly.“

Roy says right now Aador and his wife are the only two important people in his life. ”I will be with my wife and daughter for the next few days. Work can wait,“ says the proud papa.

June 5, 2005: Ronit's comfort level

Most actors hate to see themselves on screen, and until recently Ronit Roy did, too, but now that’s changed. Roy says, he’s very happy with his track and character in Kyunki.

”I am very critical when it comes to watching myself on screen. But I think in the last one year I have developed a certain comfort level of watching myself act.“ And when will his Abhishek-esque hard stubble in Kyunki clear up? ”I think that will disappear only when the leap happens. I don’t see it going away till then.“

June 17, 2005: Riling Ronit- "I feel helpless"

Overworked Roy can’t take his 16-hour work day. May stick with Ekta, and walk out of Zee’s Sarrkaar

Reena Thapar Kapoor

The last four months have been harrowing for Ronit Roy. Speculations about the actor’s alleged cold war with the Balaji head honcho Ekta Kapoor took a new turn when his presence in Manish Goswami’s Zee show Saarkaar started affecting his other two top dailies on Star Plus, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagi Kay. Back then it was rumored that Ronit would quit Balaji to favour Sarrkaar.

Now it turns out that he is likely to opt out of the Zee show instead. The actor says, ”I’ll have to give up one of the three shows. But we’re still talking.“ Ronit hopes that he doesn’t end up hurting his producers’ egos. But he asserts, ”All I can tell you is that my loyalty is towards Star Plus and Ekta Kapoor. I’ve been able to reach here only because of their shows.“

On his present work-load, Ronit adds, ”I’ve had no time for my family. Doing three daily shows is getting to me. This is the first time I’m feeling helpless.“ The trouble began when his shows Sarrkaar and Kasautii… — both of which incidentally run on the same time slot on Zee and Star respectively — were turned into programmes that appear five times a week. ”There is too much pressure on me and I’m unable to concentrate on my work. The stress has started affecting my performances as well,“ says Ronit. The actor feels trapped in a Catch-22 situation: ”All three shows require me, as I’m the lead character in them. In this complication my co-stars and producers also get affected.“

As for his initial decision to sign up with Sarrkaar, an act that was seen as one of defiance against Balaji, Ronit argues, ”The reason I took up Sarrkaar was because of its strong content. To make `more money’ was not the idea. Manish had categorically told me that his show was going to be a weekly — as in four episodes a month. Suddenly they decided to make it a daily and it was too late to back off. Today I’m shooting 16 crazy hours a day. If the writers of the shows manipulate plots to explain my absence, the viewership ratings of the shows start to drop. In Kasautii… my track is in coma but I am very much shooting for that as well. I have to make a choice without hurting anyone.“

Hence, in all probabilities the actor is likely to walk out of Zee’s Sarrkaar. To whether the show’s producers have found a replacement for him yet, Ronit says, ”Not as yet.“ The actor feels that due to the current mess, the appointment diaries of his co-stars may suffer as well: ”The dates of other actors in the three shows are worked upon as per my availability. That is bound to happen because all three are dailies and the telecast pressures keep mounting all the time.“ However Sarrkaar’s producer Manish Goswami denied that he had any intentions of replacing Ronit Roy on the show.

* I’ve had no time for my family. Doing three daily shows is getting to me. This is the first time I’m feeling helpless- ronit roy

July 1, 2005: Ronit basks in success of Mihir Virani

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 1

 Actor Ronit Roy is extremely conscious of the spoken word, lest he ends up saying something that may offend his producers. So he plays safe when asked why certain soaps on television seem so endless, as if itching to last beyond an eternity.

”The life of the story depends on the will of the producer and I would rather do my job till the time the story dies its natural death. I have an opinion on this issue but I would like to reserve it,“ answers the actor who shot to fame the moment he struck a rapport with Balaji’s creative head, Ekta Kapoor.

With this collaboration, Ronit’s failure in films was almost nullified and he gained a fresh identity - as Mihir Virani in ”Kyunki Saas Bhi…“ and as Rishabh Bajaj in ”Kasauti Zindagi Ki.“ He is now better known by the name of the characters he plays rather than his own name.

The Balaji-Ronit association seems to be growing thicker with Ekta picking him up to travel as part of her team to select youngsters for the Balaji/MTV joint production ”Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi“. On his arrival at Himachal Bhavan in Chandigarh today, he was literally mobbed by star-struck candidates, who did everything they could to gather his attention. They sang title songs from his serials and repeated dialogues behind him.

For Ronit, being part of the project, is as much exciting. He said, ”This is a chance of a lifetime. When we were young, there were no platforms to display talent. But now, the trend has reversed. We are going to the doorsteps of youngsters, coaxing them into trying their luck. Who knows which one among them grows into a star of the future.“

Accompanied by Nivedita Basu, the creative director behind the success of ”Kasauti Zindagi Ki“ and some other Balaji productions, Ronit talked about his own transformation from a film actor to a TV star.

”The shift from one medium to another was not conscious. It just happened. Initially I had been called in to play a role in ”Kanwal“. Then came the chance to play ”Mihir“ in ”Kyunki…“, which was the highest rated TV soap during those days. I was apprehensive in the beginning as to whether I would be able to replace Amar Upadhyay, who had been very popular as Mihir. There was also the fear of audience’s denial. But with time, everything fell in place and I was accepted.“

Now Ronit is featuring in many Balaji’s productions, including ”Kasauti…“. He admits, ”So many kids identify with the character of Rishabh Bajaj that they address me as Uncle Bajaj. It gives me immense pleasure to know that I have impacted my audience somewhere along the line. This is the kind of result you get when you have complete independence at work. Our director allows us space to create and perform.“

July 1, 2005- Vinod Rathod to croon for Mr. Bajaj

After doing playback singing in innumerable films, Vinod Rathod has now moved on to do playback singing for television.

In his first ever appearance on the small screen, Vinod Rathod has lent his voice for Star Plus’s Kasautii Zindagi Kii.

Tonight’s episode will see Rathod performing the song  Chupana bhi nahi aata from Baazigar at Mr Bajaj’s birthday party.

He says, ”I found it very interesting to sing for Ronit Roy as I have already done playback singing for him years ago in his film Jaan Tere Naam.

This time around, however, it is for a television show.“ Rathod says that not many people know about Roy’s hidden talent of singing. ”He is a good singer, and even melodious,“ says Rathod.

As per the track, it will be shown that Mr Bajaj’s daughters throw a secret party for him, and invite Rathod to sing their father’s most cherished song. ”The song is very apt to the situation in the serial. He is expressing his love, yet he doesn’t want to be very vocal about it.“

In terms of playback singing Rathod says he has his hands full with lots of assignments and plans to release a solo album sometime in October. ”I am working on Munnabhai 2 and Nehle Pe Dehla. There are some really good songs in these movies.“

Ask him about what his opinion of Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant is and he says, ”He is good, but needs to start working on playback.

Singing for your private album is very different from lending your voice to the leading actors. The day he starts singing for actors like Salman and Shah Rukh Khan, and delivers a hit song, it will be his real success.“

July 5, 2005: Mr. Bajaj still in Kasautti

Contrary to reports that Mr Bajaj (Ronit Roy) would be killed off in a car accident on Kasautii Zindagii Kay, producer Ekta Kapoor says, ”This is absolute rubbish.“

Rumours abounded that his character would be involved in a car accident, go into a coma and subsequently removed from the serial.

The reasons being Kapoor and Roy had reportedly conflicted after he took on Zee TV’s Sarrkkar. Now, it is rumoured that the false story was leaked by Amarr Upaddhyay and Kapoor is upset with him for talking to the press.

”There is a car accident and Ronit does go into a coma but no way is he going to die.

Yes, there is a short absence but it’s just a four-week hiatus and Ronit will be back after that. We will show Prerna (Shweta Tiwari) as having partial amnesia because of the accident where she will forget that she was married to Anurag Bose (Cezzane Khan).

It’s just a four-week hiatus and Ronit will be back after that. Throughout the proceedings he will be shown as being in a coma,“ says Ekta.

Third party created problems

But didn’t Roy and her have problems after he joined Sarrkkar? ”There was no major problem. It was just a misunderstanding that we’ve sorted out. It was created by a third party who told him that we wanted to remove him from our serial. That was not true. Ronit didn’t leave Kyunki… he was on paternity leave. He is very much an important part of both our serials,“ she says.

1 crore? Kahan?!

On a lighter note, Kapoor says she has big plans for Kasautii. It was reported that Ronit’s accident scene would cost Rs 1 crore. ”No way! Kahan I will spend so much money? But yes, it is one of the most spectacular scenes ever shot, just like Ansh’s death scene,“ says the soap queen.

Presently, the Kasautii cast has left for Kolkata (where the shooting will be held). Among other scenes, a dhunuchi dance will also be filmed with 100 dancers inside the famous Dakshineshwar Kali temple.

July 28, 2005: Ronit can't leave Sarrkkar

Producer Manish Goswami, who preferred to keep a stoic silence in the on-going Ronit Bose Roy-Sarrkkar-Kasautii Zindagii Kay imbroglio, has finally spoken.

”Ronit Roy can’t leave Sarrkkar,“ declares the producer of this Zee daily. ”He is committed to be part of the show till its very end.“

Though Roy has been making conflicting statements over the past two months over being in and out of his serials — Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kasautii Zindagii Kay and Sarrkkar, he continued shooting for all of them — except when he took a paternity break in May.

Roy is bound by contract

Says Goswami, ”The actor has signed on the dotted line and the contract clearly states that Sarrkkar is a daily. He remains part of the show till the final episode. So, till whatever time the show goes on, Ronit remains in Sarrkkar.“

In the past, producer Ekta Kapoor had issued an ultimatum to Roy to either play Mr Bajaj in her soap Kasautii (Star Plus) or be Kunal in Sarrkkar (Zee) as both aired at the same time on rival channels.

Later, Roy claimed that he was giving up both Kyunki and Kasautii and would only do Sarrkkar. Yet, he continued to shoot for the other two.

Ronit knew what he was getting into

Goswami further adds that when Roy agreed to do Sarrkkar he was already doing Kyunki and Kasautii. ”So he clearly knew what he was getting into. How he would balance all the three dailies was for him to figure out.“

Roy is committed for eight to 10 days of shoot for Sarrkkar every month.

Incidentally, throughout the entire drama Roy has not spoken to Goswami about the Sarrkkar issue. ”He never told me anything nor did we discuss anything about it,“ claims Goswami who wanted to steer clear from any controversy.

The Sarrkkar team leaves for Dubai today for the promotion of the show. ”Ronit is not coming as he is shooting for his other shows,“ informs Goswami.

August 10, 2005: Rohit's mannat for Bade Bhaiya

The Roy brothers, actors Rohit and Ronit, along with close friends and family, walked their way to Siddhivinayak temple in Prabhadevi early Tuesday morning.

The reason? Rohit had kept a mannat for elder brother Ronit. ”I had decided to do the walk with something in mind for Ronit. Finally, both of us managed to coordinate our schedules and go for the darshan,“ he said.

Three-hour trudge

Rohit started walking from his home in Andheri at around 2 am, with friends Samir Soni and Sudhanshu Pandey; they reached the temple at 5.15 am.

Ronit, accompanied by wife Neelam, his brother-in-law, and friend Bunty, later joined them. Rohit says he has walked to the temple before. ”I have walked to Siddhivinayak years back. It’s an out of the world experience; it can’t be described in words.“

He says the last 15 minutes were truly testing. ”I wasn’t exactly tired, but in the end, when you could almost see the temple, I realised how much I had walked.“

Ronit’s first time

Even though he hadn’t walked to Siddhivinayak before, elder brother Ronit said the July 26 deluge prepared him for the hike.

Like everyone else, I too walked on that dreaded day. I walked home all the way from Malad. I think it prepared me for this.“

Ronit calls his wife Neelam a hardcore religious bhakt.

”She has walked barefoot before and had no issues walking this time around.“ He says there was a 10-minute delay in reaching the temple, which is why he missed the main pooja. ”

Halfway through the walk, I lost track of Rohit and the boys, so I got there a bit late.“

The sight of devotees crawling near Mahim and an old woman walking barefoot touched Ronit. ”Seeing people immersed in selfless devotion really moved me. I hope they get everything they have asked for.“

All about bhaichara

When asked if he would walk to the temple again, Ronit said, ”Why not? I am a total believer in God. When I found out that Rohit had kept a mannat for me, I decided to join him and give him my support. Next time, I will ask for something for him and take the lead.“

tushar.joshi@mid-day.com