Ravi Dubey on Jamai 2.0 season 2, equation with Nia Sharma and bold content on OTT

Jamai Raja was one of the most popular television shows and when it was brought over on OTT by ZEE5, Jamai 2.0 was an immediate hit and became one of the top streamed web series on the platform. The spin-off series stars Ravi Dubey and Nia Sharma as Siddharth and Roshini and the second season and is now streaming.

We got in touch with Ravi, where he spoke about the response to Jamai 2.0 season 2, the content at large, the evolution of his character, and more.

How has the shooting experience been? Has the response been overwhelming?

It has been a massively positive experience shooting for the show. We are always keeping our fingers crossed as to we don't know how will the response to the teaser and trailer be, but the response has been so huge, all of us are very very encouraged. I can safely say it for the entire cast as well as the makers as well as the production and the platform, that we are truly excited.

How has the evolution of Ravi Dubey affected the character Siddharth?

I think it is hand in glove, by the virtue of playing a character, it is your personality that is extending into the character and vice versa, and a little bit of Siddharth will always be in me. Because I played a character that is so protective of relationships, that was so dedicated and passionate in relationships, I have emulated that as a person as well. In the first four years of doing the television show, a part of me is now Sidharth. Now, because I am playing a different version of Siddharth in Jamai, the evolution that the character has brought in me is now extending to this. 

Is it safe to say that after all these years, you know the character like the back of your hand and don't need any prep for the same?

No, I cannot say that. I am a hugely preparation and rehearsal oriented artist, I think I cash less on spontaneity and more on being absolutely prepared with a blueprint, because for me, that is what works - the fewer are the variables, the better are the impact that you create on screen is what I firmly believe in. Even if I play Sidharth for the next 100 years, I would still lock myself in a room and prepare my script.

Do you think it had made any difference or it had been better if the show continued on TV?

No, it wouldn't. I think we had a beautiful run on TV and I always heard that a show should go when people are saying 'kyun ja raha hai?' and not when they start saying 'kab jayega?' I think the reason we are thriving as a brand for the last 7 years is that we stopped when we were at a peak and we got off the table when we were winning because the decline would have come, and if one waits for that, then you kill the brand forever. We are benefitting from that transition because we did it when the time is right.

Did you ever think that the show would return?

I had no clue that this would happen. I did always feel that there is more to the story, it was an instinctive thing, but I never nourished it. I did know that the story can go somewhere from here, but it was my own thought process and nothing else. When it went off air, the incentive that was enough for me was the fact that everyone was fighting for the show to not go off-air, and I was very happy when I used to reflect on my memories because you reflect on the final memory of things, I was glad that for the show, my final memory was that everyone wanted it to stay, and that was the intention behind season 1 and 2, and hopefully, we will see as for the subsequent seasons.

What was your thought process behind the way the story is progressing, including the bold content that we've seen?

When I think about a married couple or people living together, there will be moments when you will put the camera in their private spaces, and they are organic and natural only when the integrity of the story that you are telling is kept intact. Maybe there was a need for the same on television as well but that platform does not allow the same. I don't think it is a very big deal. But yes, if you make the bold content your saleable point, which is true for certain platforms on OTT, and the fact that people have abused that, is absolutely sad. But there are moments, more graceful, where the world has shown moments between their lead pairs, and I don't think that is a matter to be discussed or talked about so much.

Nia mentioned how you guys have had an evolution in terms of friendship as well. How has that aspect made it easier to shoot for the show?

There has been an evolution not just for the moments when the couple is close, but even other scenes, an evolution in the friendship and the mutual respect as artists, as professionals, and personally, all contribute to a great scene. You cannot not have regard and respect for each other and show that you do on screen. At the end of the day, people who are as organic as me and Nia, it is always our personal personalities that finds its way on the screens as well. I think the friendship that we share hugely contributes to the chemistry that we share on-screen.

Jamai 2.0 season 2 is now streaming on ZEE5.