Disenchanted with Bollywood, actor Ravi Kishan shared the tale of how he became a Bhojpuri superstar in this exclusive interview with Brut.
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00:00Out of anger and hurt, I started my own industry, Bhojpuri Industry.
00:04And there I made myself a superstar.
00:08Do you maybe regret being any of the double-meaning songs?
00:12There was one, Ta Lahinga Utha Dev Remote.
00:14That's very popular.
00:17People thought that we have found a young hero.
00:20Brother, there is a girl in our language.
00:23And she looks very good.
00:24She has big eyes.
00:26And she looks like Mithun Chakravarti Niyan.
00:29After wearing glasses, the hero Niyan brought his motorcycle.
00:33In the 90s, Akshay Kumar and all our friends came.
00:37I came back in the 90s.
00:39I thought that I have 6 feet, voice, personality and body.
00:43But I didn't get the work.
00:45I did Army, Tere Naam, Angenet Mithun Chakravarti, Dharamji.
00:50But I couldn't hit.
00:52I am trying with myself.
00:54Then one fine day I realized that
00:56I started my own industry, Bhojpuri industry.
01:01And there I made myself a superstar.
01:05The people of the country supported me.
01:07Mohanji Prasad was the director.
01:09The first movie was Sahiyan Haman.
01:11And today 1 lakh people get employment from that industry.
01:16The first movie I got an offer from him.
01:19I got 75,000 rupees for that.
01:21In that action, I lost 25,000 rupees.
01:24And all the Hindi that I had learnt for cinema,
01:27I put all my training and thoughts in it.
01:30The music was good.
01:32People thought that I got a young hero.
01:35Brother, a girl has come in your language.
01:38And she looks very beautiful.
01:40She has big eyes.
01:42And she looks like Mithun Chakravarti Niyan.
01:44All this started the discussion.
01:46And then I started from there.
01:48Panditji told me when I will get married.
01:51He told me that I will get a national award.
01:54So then my life began.
01:56And I never looked back.
01:58And then Bigg Boss happened in my life.
02:00In Bigg Boss, where life is like a flag.
02:03But still it is proud.
02:05That word came out like a national anthem.
02:08Which is being said in your office after so many years.
02:11I said that in the first season of Bigg Boss.
02:14And then I got Mani Ratnam sir's film.
02:17Shyam Benegalji's film.
02:19Then I never looked back.
02:21Hindi cinema happened.
02:22Then Telugu cinema happened.
02:23There I got to know in the name of Shiva Reddy.
02:25People used to tell me.
02:27Either take a job.
02:29Or cinema.
02:31If you want to do acting, then you won't get money.
02:33So I used to agree.
02:35I worked for 10-15 years without money.
02:37I mean almost just a convent.
02:39And I kept working like that.
02:42And I started learning the craft.
02:45I won't drink tea or coffee.
02:48Do you think the way Bhojpuri cinema is perceived.
02:51Has changed over the years?
02:53Because still on OTT.
02:55Bhojpuri cinema is not seen as much as other regional languages.
02:58I am not happy the way I thought.
03:00The way I got national award.
03:03For Kab Hoi Gaon Ha Hamar.
03:04First Bhojpuri movie.
03:05After that I became a member of parliament.
03:08And then I got busy over there.
03:10I started living in my constituency.
03:13Gorakhpur.
03:14So here my juniors.
03:16All my younger brother type.
03:18Who I call juniors.
03:19They couldn't handle it well.
03:21Some singers album they have come.
03:23They spoiled it very badly.
03:25Bhojpuri songs are very famous.
03:27And infamous too.
03:28Because of their lyrics.
03:29Do you think that has to do with.
03:31Coming in the way of.
03:32The evolution of Bhojpuri cinema.
03:34Of course yes.
03:35You have to understand.
03:36See.
03:37There are double meaning Hindi songs.
03:40Tamil, Telugu.
03:41There are many things.
03:42There is a taste.
03:43There is a passion.
03:44There is a measurement of it.
03:45If you want to do a little entertainment.
03:47You do a little.
03:48In your life.
03:49A person gives a black face.
03:51There is a population of 25 crore.
03:5325 crore people.
03:54Who speak and understand.
03:56Bhojpuri.
03:57So it should be given.
03:58A lot of sensitive attention.
04:00And you take it.
04:01Think about it.
04:02This is the society.
04:03We sent three MPs.
04:04From the Bhojpuri industry.
04:06So it is our responsibility.
04:08How we pay back to the society.
04:10To our community.
04:11Do you maybe regret.
04:12Being any of the double meaning songs?
04:14There was one.
04:15Dole lehenga utha de remote se.
04:17That is very popular.
04:18So for that.
04:19We said.
04:20Everyone makes mistakes in life.
04:23So one mistake.
04:24I mean.
04:25Because I have not sung that song.
04:27I went on set.
04:28I came from Mauritius.
04:29After shooting.
04:30And I played that song directly.
04:31And I started dancing on the set.
04:33And the song will become such a cult.
04:35That film was a very big blockbuster.
04:37The song was like that.
04:38But what you do.
04:40You get what you do.
04:41It will come in front.
04:42But okay.
04:43Then I regret it.
04:44And I didn't want to repeat it.
04:46I said this to everyone.
04:48In many shows too.
04:50The experience I have.
04:52All the work I have done.
04:54Life has trained me.
04:57As an actor.
04:58I didn't even get a due.
05:01But I can see.
05:02That after Laapata ladies.
05:04And Maamla legal.
05:05Now people will see.
05:07We have only one solution.
05:11All my fans used to tell me.
05:13Why don't you come full-fledged.
05:15In Hindi cinema.
05:16Why you always get one ball.
05:18And people expect sixer from you.
05:20So I used to get only one ball.
05:22And all these producers.
05:23Directors used to say.
05:24You have come.
05:25What is it now?
05:26Now you will play in one game.
05:27In one or two scenes.
05:28Now I was just fed up.
05:30I am Priya.
05:31I have read countless books.
05:34I have worked with countless directors.
05:36So now I am getting.
05:38That I get a due from two films.