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Ravi Kishan pairs with Konkona for Bhojpuri film
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, Sep 3 (IANS) He's the uncrowned emperor of Bhojpuri cinema. Ravi Kishen is now set to pair opposite Konkona Sen Sharma in a remake of Goutam Ghose's "Paar".

The actor recently shot a remake of Mahesh Bhatt's "Naam". "It's entitled 'Purab Aur Paschim' and has Suman Ranganathan with me. The director is Jai Prakash who did Manisha Koirala's film 'Market'," says Ravi.

And he recently shot with superstar Amitabh Bachchan for Deepal Sawant's "Ganga". "It was an unreal experience. He works so hard. When people call me the Amitabh Bachchan of Bhojpuri experience. I feel my chest swell with pride."

In the era of re-makes, when other filmmakers are redoing "Don", "Sholay" and "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam", Ravi Kishan plans to rework Goutam Ghose's off-beat 1984 film "Paar".

Says Ravi: "I'm going to produce this film purely aiming at the National Awards. My name had been sent for the National Award for best supporting actor in 'Tere Naam' but I missed getting it. This year for the Bhojpuri popular awards, Dilip Kumar saab gave me the best actor award. That whetted my appetite. I'm going to get fully into the role of the low-class pig-tender in 'Paar' ... cut my hair, wallow in mud, just like Naseerbhai.".

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Ravi will sign Konkona Sen Sharma for Shabana Azmi's role in "Paar". "Amol Shetge who directed me in "Ravi Kissen" -where I play the double role of Ravi and Kissen - will direct 'Paar'."

Is he flattered to have a film named after him? "It makes me happy but it reminds me of my responsibility. I had reached rock bottom in my film career. People said I should pack up and return to Jaunpur.

"My first film was "Udhar Ki Zindagi" with Kajol in 1990 and my last appearance was as the priest in the Salman starrer "Tere Naam". I must've done 25 odd films and TV serials like "Hello Inspector" and "Hawaayein". This was when I was almost jobless. Then Bhojpuri cinema happened in my life."

In his Bhojpuri film career of four years, Ravi has done 17 films. "I was the only one who believed there was hope for the Bhojpuri film industry. I worked really hard in every department, sitting on scripts, music sittings, casting," said the actor who hails from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Ravi added: "In Bhojpuri cinema, we can't show cleavages and smooches. But we can play with words. Middle class women in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh love me and my antics."

So how does this 34-year old actor with three kids cope with Bhojpuri-speaking women propositioning him? "Firmly, respectfully and with no hard feelings."

Ravi gives all credit to Mohanji Prasad, whom he calls the "godfather" of Bhojpuri cinema.

"When I was at my lowest ebb in Hindi cinema, he offered me a film called 'Saiyyan Hamar'. To everyone's surprise, it became a silver jubilee hit. And then the offers started pouring in.

"All my Bhojpuri films were hits but I've seen the darkest of days. I've just worked with the god of acting Amitabh Bachchan. I'm working with another god, Dilip Kumar Saab, as scriptwriter and Saira Banuji as producer in 'Ab To Banja Sajana Hamaar'."

He feels too many of his Bhojpuri films are being released one after another. "I want the flow to slow down. But the distributors don't want to listen to me."

Ravi shoots five scenes a day and has 12 films on hand.

"We shoot generally in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. But now with the industry doing well, we've started shooting abroad," he said.

"We shot a film produced by Udit Narayan in Mauritius. Then we shot in Britain and I did a Bhojpuri film with a British co-star. 'Purab Aur Paschim' will be shot in Portugal. We now have Bhojpuri films going to 54 countries including the West Indies, Surinam and Fiji."