After dabbling with films for a while, television's new poster boy Ruslaan Mumtaz is happy to have made it big on the small screen. Portraying the guynext-door character of Dhruv in Jee Le Zara, Ruslaan admits that he is going through a great phase.
"After Jee Le Zara, I got at least eight to nine film offers.
All this while when I was available and looking for work in films, filmmakers didn't approach me. And now that I am busy with a gruelling schedule, people are offering me absurd amounts of money to do their films," says a Ruslaan, adding, "I owe a lot
to this show. People have begun to recognise my talent." Does that mean the film offers will lure him towards the big screen once again? "No. It is because of this show that I am back in the limelight. I will be loyal towards it.I want to be part of it for as long as it is on air," he adds.
Quite naturally then, Ruslaan is in a celebratory mood. The actor celebrated his success by gifting his mother a car. He says, "My mum would always tell me that actor Jackie Shroff would send a Pajero for his mother to travel to his film sets. I knew that mum wanted an SUV and hence, bought her a mini-SUV with my first paycheck. It will take me a while to buy her a proper SUV."
We ask the actor what it's like on the sets of the show. A self-confessed foodie, he tells us that the best part about the show is that the cast and crew is as passionate about food as he is. "As soon as we reach the sets, we exchange pleasantries and come straight to the point " what's in your dabba? Delnaaz's (Irani) dabba is usually filled with the tastiest Parsi meals. Sangeeta (Ghosh) brings Bengali food and my dabba usually has Mughlai food. Our lunch break is no less than a party," he says adding that he has gained the title of Buddha on the sets thanks to his eating habits. "I react calmly even during tough situations and don't get agitated very easily. The secret to that is a full stomach. I am a different person when I am hungry," he adds.Are reality shows something he'd consider being part of ? "Sure! I'd love to be part of Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhlaaja." And, Bigg Boss? "Oh there's just one hitch " the food. I can't stay hungry. I have to eat every two hours.
I'm dangerous if I'm not wellfed as I said," he adds.Revealing a bit about his family the actor tells us, "Now I don't get to spend much time with my parents. I'm the only child and we are a close-knit family. Earlier, we would try to eat our meals together, but that isn't possible now."
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Friends, a longer version of this article appeared in Asian Age also:
After dabbling with films for a while, television's new poster boy Ruslaan Mumtaz is happy to have made it big on the small screen.
Portraying the guy-next-door character of Dhruv in Jee Le Zara, Ruslaan admits that he is going through a great phase.
"After Jee Le Zara, I got at least eight to nine film offers. All this while when I was available and looking for work in films, film makers didn't approach me.
And now that I am busy with a gruelling television schedule, people are offering me absurd amounts of money to do their films," says a Ruslaan with a wicked smile adding, "I owe a lot to this show. People have finally begun to recognise my talent, thanks to the role of Dhruv." But that mean the film offers will lure him towards the big screen once again? "Certainly not. It is because of this show that I am back in the limelight. I will be loyal towards it. I want to be part of it for as long as it is on air," he adds. Quite naturally then, Ruslaan is in a celebratory mood. The actor celebrated his success by gifting his cess by gifting his mother a car. He says, "My mum would always tell me that actor Jackie Shroff would send a Pagero for his mother to travel to his film sets.
I knew that mum wanted an SUV and hence, bought her a mini-SUV with my first pay check. It will take me a while to buy her a proper SUV .
But on the upside, this one is perfect to travel around a crowded city like Mumbai." We ask the actor what it's like on the sets of t h e show. A self-confessed foodie, he tells us that the best part about the show is that the cast and crew is as passionate about food as he is. "As soon as we reach the sets, we exchange pleas antries and come straight to the point -what's in your dabba? Delnaaz's (Irani) dabba is usually filled with the tastiest Parsi meals. Sangeeta (Ghosh) brings Bengali food and my dabba usually has Mughlai food. Our lunch break is not the hurried types like they have usu ally have on the sets. In fact, it's no less than a party," he says adding that he has gained the title of Buddha on the sets thanks to his eating habits. "I react calmly even during tough situations and don't get agitated very easily. The secret to that is a full stomach. I am a different per son when I am hungry," he adds with a smile.
Are reality shows s o m e thing he'd consider being part of ? "Sure! I'd love to be part of Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhlaaja." So a dance enthusiast. What about shows such as Bigg Boss? "Oh there's just one hitch -the food. But it's tough doing reality shows along with a ser ial. I recently per formed at an awards function. I would r e h e a r s e from 11 pm to 2 am and be back on the sets at 7 am. I a d m i r e people who can do both the things at the s a m e time. I h o p e I'm not doing a soap when I get offered shows such as Nach or Jhalak in the future," he says.
"With Big Boss the only problem is I can't stay hungry . I have to eat every two hours. I'm dangerous if I'm not well fed like I said," he adds.
Revealing a bit about his family the actor tells us, "Now I don't get to spend much time with my parents. I'm the only child and we are a close-knit family.
Earlier we would try to eat our meals together, but that isn't possible now."
We prod him about his relationship status. The actor says he's single but he has some relationship advice for his fans that he's learnt through his past relationships. "For girls, please be with a guy who respects you. Nothing is more important than that. For guys, be honest with your girl. If you have to fake it and change yourself for her to love you, trust me, that relationship is not worth having."
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