“After this show I am sure I will be a much better actor”

says Ruslaan Mumtaaz who made his debut in 2007. Just couple of films old, he has been critically acclaimed for his work in films. It is now time for him to prove his mettle on Television.

Television gets another fresh face from films and this time it is the young and good looking Ruslaan Mumtaaz who gears up for his debut with Kehta Hai Dil… Jee Le Zara on Sony TV.

Ruslaan’s mother is the famous character actress Anjana Mumtaz and just like his mother who has worked in both the mediums – films as well as television, Ruslaan doesn’t look down upon TV, “Work is work and I never looked down upon TV as my mother was an actress too who did films and then took a break for her family and returned with Television so I too was always open that if I get something good on TV I will do it. Step down or step up doesn’t matter and if you have a good set-up, with good work coming your way and if the role is something which you can do convincingly and people are going to see it then why not? It is also a fact that this is combination of Sangeeta Ghosh, Rose movies Production, Siddharth Sengupta as the director and Niranjan Iyengar as the writer… if these people were ever to make a movie they would never have considered me for any role so getting a chance to work with them for Television is a big opportunity for me.”

Looking at other actors too made him take this decision says Ruslaan, “In time I realized that TV as a medium is as powerful as films and there were so many of my friends who had started off in Television and they are so successful and famous. Even though I got critical appreciation they were more famous than me. As actors we always want to be famous and that is what we set out to achieve. We want everyone to know us and if films were not giving me that much of an opportunity than I wanted to do TV.”

The difference between films and TV is in the way of working but now he seems to be ready for everything, “In films I get my scripts two months in advance and I get time to prepare for it so it is a different ballgame altogether. Also here I was with an actress who knows her work and is ready and I needed to be up to the mark. So I needed that time to get ready also as a performer but now I am absolutely ready because I have evolved as an actor and as a person. When we start our career we look at films very differently and now I can look at the larger picture.”

Throwing light on his character in the show, Ruslaan says, “The story of Jee Le Zara is set in Panchgani and I play Dhruv Goel, a lawyer. I am a responsible boy from a rich family who enters Sanchi’s (Sangeeta Ghosh) life as a breath of fresh air. He wants her to take life less seriously and wants her to enjoy every moment. I needed a character which viewers would like and I think my character is pretty lovable.”

Ruslaan is also not insecure about the fact that Television is more women oriented, “Honestly, I am just going to do my work and if people connect to that then I am happy. For me being second to a woman or second to anyone does not matter. In fact, second or third does not bother me at all. I don’t look at it as second to someone because I am happy having a place of my own. Sangeeta Ghosh character in the show is more powerful because she is shown to be strict whereas mine is a toofani character and how things change when he comes to take over the situation.

What was his first reaction when he came to know that he will be acting opposite Sangeeta Ghosh? “I came to know over the phone that Sangeta will be playing Sanchi and I was opposite her and after I kept the phone down I was like ‘Dad! That girl will be Sangeeta Ghosh and the show is big!'”

And how has his experience been so far while shooting with Sangeeta? “There is a slight nervousness obviously because I have always worked with new actresses and never worked with an established actress like Sangeeta. When doing scenes with her I have to be a little more careful like when I give re-takes or fumble. Earlier when I used to fumble I used to be like let’s do it again but now I feel why did I fumble and give a retake. I have to up my work quality and I am sure that after this show I will be a much better actor and my quality is getting better.”

And what if he gets a film offer while doing TV? “This show is my commitment and I will complete it with all honesty. I will never leave this show and take up a film because whoever will see the show and like me will be because of this show and I will never want to leave it.”

Once on TV, Ruslaan has other plans as well, “I watch dance shows which have so many actors who have been doing typical characters in saas bahu shows but when they perform on stage we see so many other aspects to their personality. I feel like wow look at them doing this performance so I think reality shows are something that I enjoy watching as a viewer.”

Does that mean that we will see Ruslaan too in reality shows soon? “I am surely going to gear for few of them but not now immediately. Whether it is fiction or reality I think I will take it as it comes. You get an offer, read the script or like the concept and for some reason you say yes or no, that is the way it always has been and will be in the future too.”

What is opinion on love? “For me more important than love is respect and if someone tells you that they love you but don’t respect you than that love has no meaning and value so if you tell someone that you love them then first respect them.”

Even as we are done, we are eager to know whether the young actor will anytime in real life fall for an older, mature girl? “Will I ever fall in for a girl who is older? No I am too immature for girls my own age so older girls will definitely reject me,” laughs Ruslaan looking more dashing than ever.