The Circle

I’m right now in between shots and down with the worst back ache. When your 2-year-old daughter decides to use your back as a human trampoline - that too on her birthday - there's not much you can do. Now, I’m on a 4-hour cycle of painkillers, with one more shoot before I can call it a night. What fun!

While blogger’s block is something that I can’t really crib about (this IS only my 4^th blog guys), I don’t feel very sure that I should tell you about this event that occurred in my life a few days back. It’s just an incident, but it left behind something special in my mind. OK, what the heck - here it goes .

Most of my banking is done via ATMs, but this time was different. I was there to make a deposit, so I was in a branch, waiting my turn in a queue. Now most public figures have a heightened sense of all the nudging and whispering that goes on when they enter a room, and I am no different. Standing there in line, I could hear, about 3 or 4 places behind, a mother and child. The child’s voice seemed animated upon finding Jay Walia in a bank, a few feet away from her. She started to cajole her mom into meeting me. The mom on the other hand sounded reluctant, most probably in an attempt to give me my space. While I love the attention I get, I was also running a packed schedule. So I let the mom-daughter duo sort it out without intervention. (To be honest, I was hoping to make a getaway before they got to me)

This went on for about 5 minutes. In these 5 minutes, what had begun as whispering had escalated into an unavoidably loud conversation. Finally, behind me, I heard the mother relent and approach me. She was older than I expected and asked me politely if I would meet her daughter. “Of course”, I said, almost eager to get over with it, so I could get back to my business.

And then I saw her daughter. She sounded like she was 10, but standing in front of me was a 30 year old, intellectually disabled woman. She seemed elated to see me, but reacted completely different from all the fans I had ever met before. I mean here in front of me was a fully grown woman, but yet also a child. She spoke with me and held onto my hands with child-like joy (I could feel her shivering with emotion). She seemed so, sooooo happy to have met me that I have to admit I felt like an absolute fool for having hoped that I could avoid them.

Meeting fans in my line of work is an everyday event. At times exciting, at times intrusive. We learn to handle it in a set pattern, almost as if on autopilot. However, meeting this woman in the bank, hearing her argue with her mother to spend a few minutes with me, and seeing her get beside herself with joy - it broke that autopilot. It got me thinking again – of how all actors and public figures are nothing without the various people who love them. Hundreds and thousands of people who I reach out to through the tube 5 times a week, and this woman and her mother who had reached back to me. The circle seemed complete for a few moments.

I guess this incident touched me so much, I just HAD to share it.

Keep Smiling,
Ram

My dog Joey

This is Joey - the laziest dog on the planet. He's ugly, short, stubby, stinky, smelly, ill mannered, ill tempered, lazy and his tongue is too long for his face (which is why a bit of it always dangles out) - but I can't picture my life without him ..... God, love him to death.

Writing from the make-up room

The last few days have been incredible. Since my first post about 5 days ago, I've received loads of blog-comments and emails. I honestly did not expect my blog to generate such a response so soon. It truly is humbling.

While it is impossible for me to reply to each and every one of you, the one issue that seems to be coming up quite often in all your comments is the fact that quite a lot of you want me to leave Kasamh Se because according to you it's not the same as it used to be. Now guys- whether I agree with you or disagree with you is not the question here. However, there are a few points I'd like to make-

Firstly, I am just TOO attached to Kasamh Se. But more than that and more importantly, KS has given me so, so much...I mean, c’mon guys - most of you wouldn’t be here reading my blog if it wasn’t for KS. Last but certainly not the least, a commitment is a commitment.

While I respect all of your opinions, I can not disregard the fact that there still are hundreds of thousands of women all over the country who are still die hard fans of Kasamh Se and it would be an injustice to all of them if I were to leave the show. Don’t get me wrong guys – I do see where you guys are coming from. In my younger days I have walked away from projects on more than one occasion (you can blame it on creative differences, arrogance or just lack of experience). But today I am a married man and a father and I now have 10 years of work experience behind me. Which is why, today I realise that a commitment is a commitment, and if I want to be able to call myself a professional, then I better be professional in all my dealings. Just because you don't like something in life, you can't always walk away from it (I want my daughter to learn this so I better practice what I preach). So guys - whether I like it or not – KS is something that I will see through to the end.

Tini – your mail's the longest mail I've received yet (1000 words…. phew!!!). You write pretty well. Maybe you should write a book sometime.

Priya – 'All the Best' for your 12^th!

Alright you guys – dinner break is now over so I guess it's back to work for me. Ciao!

Keep smiling,
Ram

First blog's the deepest

I always wanted to blog. It promised a one-on-one with fans, that's the most exciting thing an actor can experience... but my schedule thought otherwise. Until now, that is. I've decided that 18-hour shoots or not, I AM GOING TO GET SOME ONLINE DISCIPLINE! I am going to blog as often as my schedule permits.

And now, when I've gone and said that the 'first blog's the deepest', I'm afraid I can't think of anything terribly deep to say. But please - dear reader, fan, viewer, friend - whoever you are - be patient. I will get better at this as time goes by.

I think it's only fair to start by revealing why I chose to start a blog. While I tend to avoid most press, I love interacting with people who have anything to say about me. While viewers in India got a fair share of me (and the rest of tele-indsutry) through Mumbai Mirror or Aaj Tak, it was mostly one-way interaction. I did - someone wrote - you read. Very rarely did I get to hear the viewer (India-forums being an exception). Fans out of the country didn't even get the small doses of masala that Mumbai Mirror tended to dish out so effectively.

Now I've traveled out of the country about 7 times in the last year - and each and every time I was amazed at the response an Indian TV actor generated on the streets of London or New York. In London, for example, it's much more difficult for me to go out for a walk without getting approached. Don't get me wrong now - I love the attention. My point is -that there's a serious, dedicated base of people who love Indian television, Kasamh Se (and therefore me) all over the World. I have sampled international adulation and I must say, in the words of Bono - it's the sweetest thing :)

While I do have a fear of turning out a flat-boring blog, I feel an even greater thrill at the thought of finally connecting with all you people. Leave me a comment. I'm hoping you will. Feedback on the show, weight loss tips, your views on .... anything! I will read them try and reply to as many as I can. There's only that much a man can type while bouncing in the backseat of a car doing 12 kph on the Western Express highway...

So - this blog's for both - my Indian fans and the guys who are spread all over the globe. My way of staying in touch with everyone who loves me and my work. Thank you and see you around.

Keep smiling,
Ram