It's scary when people compare me to a legend like Mr Bachchan : Ronit Roy

From Mihir Virani and Mr Bajaj to Dharmraj Mahivanshi, from participating in Jhalak Dikhhlaa Jaa to hosting Kitchen Champion, Ronit Roy better known as the ‘Amitabh Bachchan of small screen’, as the cliché goes, has done it all. Starting tonight, he will don the lawyer’s kaala coat to peddle justice in Sony’s new show, Adaalat. TellyChakkar spoke to one of the top TV actors on his new baby and other things. Tell us something about the show and your character K.D. Pathak… It’s about a lawyer who is not a typical lawyer. The makers have attempted to break the image about a lawyer and law too. Often, people don’t find approaching a lawyer interesting. But KD is likeable, legal Robin Hood types, with great personality, has an uncanny knack of winning every case. How he solves a case is framed in an interesting way. The concept sounds similar to Keshav Pandit, a show which didn’t work for Zee TV… I don’t think so. This will be a court-room drama. Sorry but I have to give you a clichéd answer that you will find the difference after you watch it. Daily soaps gave you the recognition. This one is a weekly. Why did you pick this? I have played many roles on TV as well in movies. I always believe in doing roles I haven’t tried before and which are distinguished from my previous roles. So playing KD was a challenge for me as it’s not like anything I have done before. Any special inputs for KD’s role… I have done extensive research on what not to do, instead of what to do. There are lots of inputs, external and internal. As it’s a court-room drama, where everything has to follow a particular decorum, so we don’t have that liberty to do as and how we want. Of course, except some cinematic liberties, certain things are within the actual statutory and legal framework. Besides, there’s always an actual lawyer present with us who guides us about everything. Did you try to study or understand law? I tried to read many contracts before signing any of them (laughs). Unfortunately, I have been involved in many legal tangles earlier, so now have a basic idea about some important legal ethics. Hence it’s become my habit to read any contract completely. So till now have got to know many things and in the course of this show, will learn some more. One thing you like and dislike about a lawyer? I guess, when in middle of fighting a case a lawyer shouts ‘My Lord’ all of a sudden is what I dislike and what I like is their tremendous debating power. It’s amazing. You recently hosted Kitchen Champion, how was the experience different from acting in soaps? Hosting is all about spontaneity. In soaps, it’s all about the three important W’s ‘what to say, where to say your lines and when to say them’. In hosting, it’s very impromptu, as when I should I say a punch line, how should I deal with the celebrity (participant) as I have no idea of what they might do or say or react. So I have to be very smart (smiles). Actors have a short shelf-life, so what is it an actor should work on to sustain in the industry? I disagree with you. Stardom and stars have a short shelf-life but not actors. An actor always enjoys a long life till he/she keeps working hard and gets noticed for his work, though small or big. But I understand what you are trying to ask me, so would like to answer this. Stardom changes with time. A rat will be a rat even if it’s running. Once my father said, which I still follow strongly, is ‘You should do what you love, and love what you do and the rest will follow eventually.’ Surviving here is not easy. So five things I follow are to be dedicated, focused, hardworking, evolving with time and doing varied roles. You have established yourself well in the industry since many years, despite the growing competition… I think I make a decent living for my family, without snatching anything from anyone. I like doing respectable work which has been my main focus since day one. I like doing roles which don’t hurt my family and try avoiding doing anything that will shame my family. I take care of all this very much, as I am a man of many responsibilities. Everything I do is known to my family, my kids and my wife, nothing is hidden. Besides, I also enjoy the fruits of my hard earned money and success like I travel in a comfortable car! You are often called as Television ka Amitabh Bachchan. How does it feel? (Smiles) Yes, though I don’t know why people compare me with a living legend like him. It’s a mixed feeling when I hear this. It feels sad as how can they compare me with such a senior actor? But I feel happy too because he has achieved so much and is an inspiration for every actor. At times, I feel scared when people compare me with him as I feel whatever work I do shouldn’t hurt anyone or be less appreciated. There is always a scary feeling, ‘ki unki maryada ko thes na pahunche’ so I take care of certain things. And I think by far it has worked for me as I think ‘kahin na kahin, mere sudharne mein unka haat hai.’ Does it really matter if you are working on small screen or small? See, I really don’t care which camera is it; is it the TV or the film camera. My work remains the same for me. I try and work with as much conviction. I also get feedback from people around me and social sites like Facebook and Twitter too! I like to work for the intelligent audience, which can analyze quality work well. Can you share something about your journey till now... Yes. I can say that I started as a technician in films. Karma was the first one, when I had no work. So then I did Uttar Dakshin, Hero and so on… but I think mathematics didn’t work for me. As it took me so long to promote even as a technician, then if I would think of being a director, it would take me, triple the time to get promoted as a director, so I quit. Then I jumped on to doing Ads, which too didn’t fit my calculations that well. Then as an Editor and then finally as an actor which seemed descent (laughs).I can say I learnt through my films. After that there was a severe decline, not even a slant but a straight downfall. Then when Balaji happened near the year 2000, the graph raised straight, totally. Which are your three favourite shows and why? Boston Legal, not because I am doing a show of that kind, but because of the way the show and every character in it maintained their subtlety. Then there is Kasautii Zindagi Kay. The show had some captivating magic in it which kept me glued to watch it every time. And lastly, there is Kaun Banega Crorepati, purely for Mr. Bachchan. Now after watching him so much, I can even guess what kind of mood he must be having! Bachchan ji is like a textbook for an actor. What command he has over his language, the way he comforts the contestants, communicating with everyone is simply superb. Other reason is of course the amount of general knowledge I gain. While watching it I remain stunned at my stupidity and my IQ level! I might know all the big-level answers but mostly fail to know the simplest answers which one should know. Then is the time when I say to myself, ‘Ronit, there’s a lot more to learn, you are nothing, so please keep your feet on earth’ (laughs).