An actor, singer, dancer and anchor all rolled in one, pretty much sums up Ravi Behl’s multi faceted personality. Apart from his stint in various Bollywood movies like Narsimha, Agnisaakshi and Boyfriend to name a few, he has acted in the highly acclaimed Hollywood film ,’The Far Pavilion as well.

As a child , Ravi practised dance in front of the mirror and was often reprimanded by his mother for wasting his time . Today , he is the co- director and co-host of the popular dance based show Boogie Woogie which has created history of sorts on television.

A self-professed bathroom singer who confesses he has had no professional training in music, Ravi has released an album called Ladkiyan and is currently hosting a song based show called Hai Na Bolo Bolo on Star Plus.

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A man who believes in realising his dreams and stretching his creativity as much as possible , Ravi met up with Indiantelevision.com’s Agnes Sebastian and spoke about his plans for the future.

Excerpts:

What prompted you to take up the offer of anchoring ‘Hai Na Bolo Bolo’? Have you taken any professional training in music?
To be very frank, I really don’t know how I landed with Hai Na Bolo Bolo. I was told that Karan Oberoi who earlier anchored the show with Nausheen was having trouble with the dates, so I was called. I love music, so I opted to do the show. As far as music training goes, I am a self professed bathroom singer( laughs ).

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Most of the songs on the show are ones anyone would have grown up listening to, so one does have a vague idea and for songs one is clueless about – you can hum along. It is a chilled out Sunday morning show, wherein the basic aim is to have fun. You need to be impromptu and have good vibes with the audience.

How different is anchoring ‘Hai Na Bolo Bolo’ when compared to ‘Boogie Woogie’?
Naved and I have been anchoring Boogie Woogie for eight years. It is but obvious that we work like a team and share a common chemistry. We don’t have a script for the show; we just go in and have a good time, which is why our antics seem effortless. Hai Na Bolo Bolo on the other hand is a new show and moreover having a lady co- host does have its limitations (laughs). But, she’s a lovely person and we get along quite well.

Naved Jafri and your name seems to have become synonymous with ‘Boogie Woogie’? What are the new things to look out for in the show?
Boogie Woogie the dance based show has been on air for the last eight years. The show has undergone a complete overhaul and will air with a new look this month. We are currently holding auditions in Kolkata and Jamshedpur, following which the finals will be held in Delhi , Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. We realised that people who were really keen on participating in the show were unable to do so due to various constraints like distance, the expenditure involved etc . So we decided to reach out to them instead of the other way around.

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What inspired you to come up with a show like ‘Boogie Woogie’?
Javed Jafri, Naved and I realised that while there was a lot of music related stuff on television, there was practically nothing on dance. So we decided to do something about it and Boogie Woogie was born. The show primarily showcases and taps the tremendous dancing talent in our country. The name was coined by Naved, after the popular English song. Sony liked the concept and since then, there has been no looking back. We’ve been around for nearly eight years now, so I guess that speaks for how popular the show has been.

Recently, Sahara TV announced that it would be airing a similar dance based show called ‘Grooves’? What are your views about that?
Boogie Woogie is a unique show and thus the question of competition doesn’t arise at all, if that’s what you are trying to imply. Moreover, Grooves is a clone of Boogie Woogie(BW). One can only imitate an original. We have had many clones of BW like Kyaa Masti Kyaa Dhoom, Razzmatazz to name a few. I believe that imitation is the greatest form of flattery . Actually, I would have been worried if Boogie Woogie didn’t have a clone.

Producers and directors complain of channel interference. What is your say on this issue?
I would not necessarily term it as channel interference but as creative inputs (laughs). Though there is no doubt that one has to pay heed creative inputs, we ensure that while doing so we don’t compromise on the essence of the show. Nothing, rather, no one can be greater than the show. The show should reign supreme.

What are your views about the other shows currently on air?
Well, if you are referring to soaps on air they are good examples of how effective glycerine and loud make- up can be. If you’ve seen one , you have seen them all. The channels are churning out the same old stuff. As for the sitcoms, I think they are the saddest thing I have ever watched on television . There is a dearth of good comedy shows on television today.

So have you given up acting altogether ?
No, I haven’t . I have decided that I will do only those roles that excite me. It should be something up my alley. I would love to play interesting characters and thus broaden my horizons. I want to stretch my creativity as much as possible.

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What is your mantra for a successful life?
Well, I believe that you should be earnest as far as your work is concerned. Be practical, focussed and do what you want with your complete heart and soul and success will definitely be yours.