TOI: Audiences look for something new-Ravi

He's best remembered as the childlike Omi from the recently concluded 12/24 Karol Bagh, but he's now stealing hearts as the angry young man, Tej in Saas Bina Sasural.

Small screen star Ravi Dubey admits that unlike his counterparts in other shows, he does not like doing shows that are run-of-the-mill fare. Tough that, considering entertainment television does thrive on the predictable stuff of late.

In his current show, there are several male protagonists and a handful of women. "Every show would look the same if they had the same story line. Today audiences look for something new and there a number of shows now that are based on different story lines. It will take some effort to get loyal viewership for hatke shows but it isn't difficult," says Ravi. Working with his colleagues is super fun. "It is a joy ride on the sets. Complete madness reigns on the sets," he says with a grin. Ravi also has words of praise for his co-star Aishwarya Sakhuja. They share great screen chemistry. In real life how close are they? "We are good friends. She is someone I can rely on completely."

In the past, Ravi's done shows like Ranbir Rano and Doli Saja Ke Rakhna which have got him much appreciation. "I am very choosy about my roles. When I was doing 12/24 Karol Bagh, I was offered lead roles but they were the same kind of roles. I wanted to do something different, so I didn't take them up. It is okay if I don't play the lead, because I want to do out of the box roles," he avers.

Ravi admits that life has not been a bed of roses for him, but Buddhism gave him stability. "I tried to commit suicide seven years back. I was in the worst phase of my life. I thought I wasn't doing well in studies and was a disappointment to my family. I used to sleep for 18 hours in a day so that I wouldn't have to face my close ones. But Buddhism changed me completely," he says.

In real life, Ravi loves to sing and dance. He also enjoys gaming and is a gadget freak and movie buff. A foodie of sorts, Ravi loves to eat in the night. "When I watch movies in the night, I have to munch something. I maintain myself by running and drinking lots of water," he shares.

While romantic liaisons are part of the glamour biz, Ravi admits that sometimes it upsets equations too. "When I was shooting for Yahaan Ke Hum Sikander — I was linked with the girl who played my sister in the show. In real life she's a rakhi sister. When we heard about our link up, we couldn't stop laughing. There was also a time when I was linked with seven girls simultaneously," he laughs.

Ravi is currently in a relationship with someone, but refuses to divulge any details about her. " All I can say is that I am not single. But my love life is personal and I don't want to talk about it because it also involves another person and her private space," he says on a parting note. Predictable last words those!