Actor and BJP MP Ravi Kishan spoke candidly about the current state of Bhojpuri cinema. He said that its condition has deteriorated since he moved away from the industry.
Ravi Kishan said the industry needs fresh thinking, strong stories and better filmmakers to come forward. Only then, he said, can Bhojpuri cinema regain its strong identity.
The Bollywood actor and BJP MP from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, had travelled to Jaipur to attend the orientation programme at Poornima Institute in Sitapura. During his visit, he gave an exclusive interview to Dainik Bhaskar, in which he spoke openly about Gen Z, film shoots in Rajasthan, his upcoming film Mirzapur and regional cinema.
He said today’s younger generation has a very positive outlook towards the country and its future. As an MP, he described his interaction with Gen Z as a special experience.
Actor Ravi Kishan answered questions in an exclusive interview with Dainik Bhaskar
Actor Ravi Kishan signing autographs and writing his experiences during the event.
How was your interaction with Gen Z? What did you feel was special?
The Prime Minister says that one should stay connected with Gen Z. As a parliamentarian, I came here and interacted with them. It felt very good. I got an opportunity to know about the government’s views, the Prime Minister’s thoughts, and the ideas of Gen Z. I was very happy to know what these people think about the country, what their opinion is about India, and what their outlook on life is.
He said that during the conversation with Gen Z, he felt that the youth are positive about life and also have enthusiasm and hope for India.
Ravi Kishan was presented with a ‘safa’ (turban) by the Student Council, but Ravi Kishan put the same ‘safa’ on a student.
Your attachment to Rajasthan is continuously growing. How was the experience of shooting the film ‘Surya’ in Jaipur and ‘Mirzapur’ in Jaisalmer?
Everyone should shoot in Rajasthan. There are very beautiful places and very beautiful people here. The biggest thing is that the government here is also giving many good concessions for film shooting. Therefore, I would like filmmakers to choose Rajasthan first whenever a film needs it for its location.
Ravi Kishan said that Rajasthan has various types of locations for films. From Jaipur to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan provides filmmakers with diverse visuals and locations suitable for their stories.
Rajasthan seems quite important in Mirzapur. Is Rajasthan going to play a dominant role this time?
A lot of surprises are in store. But yes, wherever we are, things will be very intense. Avoiding revealing too much about Mirzapur, he said that many elements in the film will surprise the audience. The suspense regarding the connection between Rajasthan’s locations and the story will only be resolved after watching the film.
Looking at the film’s trailer, it seems completely different from the web series. Did you ever feel that you should have been part of the web series as well?
No, but it happened in the film, which is good. All those desires were fulfilled in this.
Actor Ravi Kishan danced to the Rajasthani song Gauri Nache at the request of students.
You have worked in more than 450 Bhojpuri films. How do you view regional cinema?
Regional cinema should be made. Our regional language and regional cinema keep our identity alive. But it should come forward with good stories, good people, and good thinking.
After my absence, Bhojpuri has also weakened. At this moment, there seems to be a void. We should approach it again with good writers and good thinking and make good films. There are audiences, but they are waiting with a hunger for good cinema.
Ravi Kishan said that the importance of regional languages and regional films is not limited to entertainment only. These languages are a medium to promote the culture and identity of any region. He believes that good stories, better writing, and new ideas are needed to strengthen regional cinema.
