TV or films, no industry should be gender-specific: Ravi Dubey

Actor-anchor Ravi Dubey is in a happy space with his choice of work flowing to him. He feels one should know how to differentiate between work and quality of work.

During a recent visit to Lucknow, Dubey said, “I don’t understand that why an actor needs to take up the same kind of work to stay in the limelight. Why can’t I opt for something that I enjoy doing at the moment? After giving more than a decade to the industry I want to take up quality work and at the moment I like hosting reality shows. Meeting new people, connecting with participants makes you understand the world around you. This is what life is all about.”

Talking about his last fiction stint, Dubey said, “I started doing shows way back in 2006 and then TV was very different. Different stories were being made and the characters were written with much soul. My last daily soap was ‘Jamai Raja’ and I really enjoyed the experience as the show ran for five years and gave me numerous characters to play.”

His last show was a male-centric one but Dubey condemns any medium or industry being gender-specific. “Yes! I feel irrespective of whether it is an actor, maker or technician and irrespective of the medium, equal importance should be given to the person whether it is a man or a woman. We have seen TV as a female bastion and maximum films having men as their central character. That’s so wrong. A medium should be based on good stories instead of genders, like the web today. When I did ‘Jamai Raja’, it was a show having a male protagonist and see how well the show did. It’s only matter of taking the risk and realising that it does work. For example, see the kind of women-centric films being made and doing good business.”

Currently, Dubey is producing a Punjabi film under his production house. “My wife, Sargun, is a Punjabi actor. Along with Hindi TV, she enjoys doing regional films. So, it becomes easy for me to make films in that language and region (laughs). So, I am producing a Punjabi film and soon I also plan to produce a web series. This way, I will get a chance to try my hand at the web industry but you will not see me acting any time soon, as being a producer and anchor keeps me busy 24x7. Then, you should always get associated with your kind of work. So, no taking up fiction for the sake of doing a daily soap.”

The young actor feels hosting is extension of acting, “Yes, all film-making divisions are co related. If you are an actor, being a host is an extended version of acting. The only difference is that I feel hosting or anchoring a show is more organic. You are live, connected with people, be it participants or judges. You live together like a family and in between you do your job. This way you bring together all positive energies on the set and that reflects in the show.”