I think, follow your passion. I mean, for someone like me, I mean, it comes natural. I’ve got to say to people, you know, if if it was my kids, I would I would say if you if you really want to do something, go and do it. But if you’re unsure, then I’ll guide you. But yeah, I would always say if you have a passion, follow it.

If you’re unsure, become a dentist.

Become a dentist.

Yeah.

This is Dental Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your hosts, Payman, Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Dr. Ravi Morjaria to the podcast. Ravi is a model actor and dentist and his stage name if you want to look him up. Ravi More interesting combination of things thereof. Pleasure to have you, buddy.

Thank you. Pleasure to be on.

So tell me about I mean, in this podcast, we tend to go with a life story sort of piece, but I want to just go straight in with the question I want to ask the most. Sure. And say, were you always going to be an actor? And your parents said, No, no, no, go and study something.

You’ve hit the bull’s eye. I think that’s exactly, exactly how it started. I was, you know, for as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be an actor. I always wanted to be on screen since the age of maybe even five. Six. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah. It’s just, um, if I start from the beginning, basically, my grandparents, who were immigrants via East Africa, came to Leicester, opened up a takeaway, and I was kind of brought up for my formative years in the shop. Three, four years. And if anyone knows Leicester, there’s, there’s something called the Golden Mile, which is Belgrave Road, right? So it’s Mini India. Exactly. And so that’s where I was brought up, being around Indian music, Bollywood for as long as I can remember, my family’s been taking me out to the cinema to watch Bollywood films and watching it on TV all the time. And yeah, I was just was just taken by it. And since then I was a performing monkey for everyone in the family. So every time we go to someone’s house, there you go. Ralph can do a little dance, a little number here. And that’s what I used to do, you know, even at school. I mean, I didn’t have any inhibitions when I was a kid. I remember going to summer scheme, play scheme, playing football. You know, football is also my life and put it was all a bunch of white kids. And I remember during lunchtimes I used to put on a Bollywood performance for them and I don’t even know where this came from. Me Um, so I was always a performer and then I got a good taste of it when I was about 1011. When I got into a big audition, I did a big audition and I got into the to a big musical and then, yeah, and then my parents were like, All right, now you can stop all this. Just focus on your studies. And that’s what I did.

So tell me, tell me to that audition, what was it for? What was the play?

So the musical was called Precious Bazaar, and it was I think it was just post Bombay Dreams, I think. And it was on a big newspaper spread in the Leicester Mercury, and my mum was like, Oh, look, this looks interesting. Why don’t you go for it? Because she knew she likes performing as well and she, she, she likes the whole Bollywood thing. And, and at that point I was like, yeah, you know what? I would do it. And I was studying drama at school at that time and I had to do a monologue. I had to do a dance piece or a or singing, and I had to do the script. So I got my drama teacher to help me out, helped me with the monologue and then it was actually the auditions were in collaboration with the BBC. So BBC were recording all these auditions over two days. It was all across the country. It was in Leicester, it was in London. And when I got to the audition I realised that actually there’s not many kids here. And it was at that point where I was rehearsing for the actual script that the producer, the writer, the director came up to me and said, Well, came up to my parents and said, Actually, this, you know, that this auditions for over six only and I was 11, 1011 and, and then he goes the the musical was about prostitution.

So I don’t think this is actually, you know, viable for him to be in it. And then he, you know, sort of, you know, sort of tried to give me some consolation to say that on the panel. You can still do the audition on the panel. There’s some big music artists. So there was a big musician called Bally Sagoo at the time, and his wife was on the panel along with other people from the industry. So I didn’t have a care in the world. I said, Yeah, whatever. I’ll do the audition. And it was on the second day, I think the phone call came at 10 p.m. at night to my dad, and he said that across every one auditioning, Ravi got the highest marks in the audition. And we wanted we want to write him in the play. So, you know, I was obviously ecstatic and I got my two minutes of fame in the musical playing the younger version of the main character. It wasn’t much, but it was something for me to to get my foot in through the door. And in.

The West End itself, it.

Wasn’t in the West End. It started off in Leicester, in the theatre, and then it went on and did a national tour. But because I was, I went with it because I was under 18. There was some insurance problems at the time that I couldn’t go. So unfortunately it wasn’t the tour for me, but it was a tour for the the actual play. But I only did the Leicester part. And then he was also quite, you know, a bit of an influence in the industry that he got me into doing some big auditions for some big TV productions that. The time and after I did a couple of them. My parents were like, okay, now this is enough. Now stop you from playing football. Stop you from playing cricket. Stop you from doing karate. Now we need to focus on your GCSEs. You’re getting to that age and yeah, I just wish things were a little bit different because I think it actually not doing anything else apart from studying. It was a detriment to my studies because I didn’t have an outlet. And yeah, I just wished that I had a bit more independence at that point to do. Still carry on a couple of my passions, which I completely had to stop for a good, I would say about five, six years.

And it was only when I got into doing, you know, going to university, I did biomedical science. And at that point, obviously I learnt how to drive. And then I said, okay, I want to do some acting classes. So I joined a local acting group called Urban Young Actors, which was great for me. I did lots of theatre production, so I was learning my craft, I was learning improvisation and things like that. And then I got into King’s in the four year graduate programme where again, I had to stop everything again because there was no time. Three Yeah, there was no time for doing any acting. Obviously my, my parents and my family’s goal was for me to be a dentist. I didn’t get in after the A-levels. I had to do a degree in Biomed and then get into dentistry after that and then didn’t have no time. And people used to laugh at me and I really want to be I want to be an actor. I want to be a you know, I want to I want to do this. And obviously people weren’t taking me seriously. Yeah. And I guess I’ve tried to prove people wrong. And I have to a certain extent and I want to do more. I really want to do more.

So what would you say? I mean, you look at actors, what would you say is an actor you really Revere a performance, a performance of, you.

Know, I’ve always loved Robert De Niro, and Leonardo in Django was really good and in The Departed, Shutter Island was brilliant. And then Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer was fantastic to watch. And Robert Downey Jr there. Oh, it was just. You haven’t seen it? Oh, you definitely need to go. I would say watch it in the BFI Imax in Waterloo where there’s 70 memorials have been projected. Yeah. Watch it in the way that it’s meant to be seen. You know, as an actor, you’re constantly analysing everyone’s performance when you’re watching something on Netflix or whatever it may be on TV. I’m constantly analysing, How did they do that, you know, because obviously I haven’t trained properly. You know, you weren’t I’ve not been to a drama school or anything, so I’m learning on the job constantly and I’m thinking, okay, oh, that’s how they did this scene. Oh, look at his eyes. Look at this, Look at that. Um, so, yeah, I think everyone in Christopher Nolan’s films have been have been amazing. You know, Inception, Leonardo was brilliant again and yeah. And Christian Bale in the Batman series. Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar was fantastic. I mean, there’s loads of performances that I’ve loved. Oh, Joaquin Phoenix in The Joker. Wow, what a performance.

I quite like it when an actor performs like, different roles, you know, because I don’t know, what is it like method acting or whatever where they put themselves in that. But you know what you see, there’s some actors who kind of play similar roles and they’re great because you know what you’re going to get. And there are some actors that just surprise the hell out of you. Yeah, right. Based on, you know, the different different films that you’re totally different. Sean Penn was back in the day. But who’s that? Who would you say that now? Is that person the one.

That’s always playing themselves? Oh, different roles, No different. Uh, who normally plays different roles.

Um. You know Robert De Niro. I get it. Yeah, but he’s kind of always the same guy, isn’t he?

Robert Downey Jr in Oppenheimer. Compared to Iron Man and compared to what was that comedy movie you did? It was yeah, it was a silly, silly film, but it was it was really good in it. So he plays different characters and I do, and I love that challenge of playing someone different. It’s very easy and it’s in your comfort zone, playing the same kind of role every time. But I always want to try and push myself. But yeah, there’s two schools of thought. There’s a couple of, you know, acting tutors have told me before you always have to bring a bit of yourself into a role. They say, Look at Tom Cruise. He does so many different films, but it’s still the same guy, even though he’s a different person, but he’s still the same guy. You know, it’s true for quite, quite a lot of them. Jason Statham, for example, The Rock, pretty much the same guy in every single film. So a lot of people, they make a lot of money doing that, though, and people love it. The audiences love it, don’t they?

Yeah. But then that becomes I feel for me that becomes more of a commercial decision by whoever is casting them, right? Because they know what the audience wants. It’s a bit like going to McDonald’s, isn’t it? You know what you’re going to get. Yeah. You know, it might not be. You know, I’m not a massive aficionado of the rock dude. Yeah, but. But you know what I mean. It might not be the gourmet food, but you know what you’re going to get. Yeah. Yeah, that. Maybe that’s why they get cast, right? Because it’s just a win. They know. Yeah. You know, 30% of the audience will turn up if the rock is in it or whatever. Exactly.

Yeah. I mean, we went to see the Mission Impossible, the latest one recently, and my dad loves it. It was brilliant. I thought it was brilliant. But you know what you’re going to get? You’re going to get amazing stunts from Tom Cruise, you know, And and the storyline is going to be, well, the film is going to be action packed. You know what you’re going to get. And, you know, it’s an entertainer that’s a commercial decision. But then when you watch something like Oppenheimer isn’t a commercial film, I would say it’s more about the acting, it’s more about the storyline, it’s more about, you know, the cinematography. It’s just a whole. Who’s your favourite.

Director?

Christopher Nolan Hands down right now. Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese are two of my favourite directors. Yeah, yeah. You can see what kind of movies I like. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, Interstellar is probably one of my best, the best one of the best movies I’ve seen in my life.

It was nice. It was nice, man. You know, there’s some movies sort of creep up on you that Interstellar was like that for me. I was to start with. I was like, Come on, man, move on, move on. But then it just creeps up on you, doesn’t it?

Yeah. Yeah. It’s a bit of a slow burner, isn’t it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

It’s weird, man. I’m not a massive movie fan at all. Yeah, like, the last thing I want to do is go to a cinema and watch a movie I don’t like. Yeah, You know, like, if you were a fan, you know, you take, you know, like, I’ll go to all sorts of restaurants. I’ll take all sorts of risks with food. I’ll order things knowing that it’s probably a massive mistake to order this thing in this restaurant. But just because I want to find out. Yeah, but. But I don’t like taking risks in cinemas, right? Because it feels like I’m there for 2.5 hours or something. I can’t leave. So what I do, my wife likes to say, I said, what I do is I just insist on those cinemas with the with the good food and the, you know, fancy sofas and.

Thinking of every man or asleep.

Every man, whatever.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

There’s loads of them isn’t there, nowadays. But I used to go to that one in Notting Hill. What was that called? The man was the best. To hell with it. It was. It was one of the original. Where? Electric. Electric?

Oh, electric. Yeah.

They used to bring you food like a waitress would bring you food. And it was all like the food would come from the electric cafe or whatever. It was.

The restaurant.

Upstairs. Yeah, but my point is, if it was a film that I hated, I could just sleep then. Yeah.

Well, it’s an expensive sleep, though, isn’t it? Cinema tickets now. 15, £20 or whatever it might be. But yeah, yeah. I mean I tend to go to the Odeon Cinema. Cinema, I think Odeon Luxe, I think they’ve got out. So which is basically all the seats are Reclinable. Yeah. And I love watching films in that cinema because it’s just relaxing. But if you’ve. Have you been to the BFI Imax in Waterloo? I have. I have, yeah. That’s brilliant, isn’t it?

It’s just amazing.

Yeah.

Let’s talk. Let’s get to the darker parts of the pod. And since you’re an actor, let’s. Let’s go through that as well. Yeah. Mistakes. We like to talk about mistakes.

Mistakes. Okay.

What errors have you made? Let’s talk dentistry and let’s talk acting.

Dentistry, dentistry. The only thing that really comes out at me is one time I did a private crown and the occlusion wasn’t as right as we wanted it to be. It was a posterior lower left seven. I think it was always a lower left seven. Yeah, it’s always the lower left seven And I was pretty brave to do it, to be honest. And the guys obviously spent a good amount of money for the Crown, but had to trim off the porcelain and at that time I had trimmed off the porcelain and you could see, see small bit of metal shining through. And what I should have probably done at this point is explain to him maybe I could trim off the opposing tooth. To make it fit into occlusion. But he had he came back and he goes, I’ve got one of those. What is it called? The Diamond Little Was it Monocle? What do they call it? Yeah, one of those things. And so he goes, my wife looked at it and she could see a bit of a metal shining through. And I’ve paid a lot of money, blah, blah, blah. I want my money back. I ended up giving his money back, but maybe I should have learned from that experience, you know? I mean, obviously I’ve learned from it since, but maybe do not tell.

Him the metal was showing through. Was that the problem?

I think that was the problem, yeah. I didn’t tell him beforehand that the metal was showing through and I didn’t expect the metal to shine through. I was just literally just doing a little bit and there was a thin layer of porcelain over where I was doing it. And so I’ve learned from that mistake.

You know, you know, how there’s there’s ways you can talk about it, right? You know, like when we break a file, we talk about a separation.

Yeah, separation.

It’s a beautiful. It’s a beautiful little, little sort of lie, isn’t it? The file has separated, but I think there’s a way of talking about that situation, you know, because I’m trying to think back to when I was a dentist. Look, do you remember? Do you remember in dental school some tutor telling you that a metal occlusal surface is the correct occlusal surface in terms of it’s the best thing for the opposing tooth?

Yeah, I remember them saying that. The gold crown. Gold crown. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

So that’s where you lay it down for the patient. Say, look I’ve polished it. Yeah. And it is showing through but it’s actually better for the opposing tooth. That’s true.

Something maybe I should have done that. Maybe I should have done something like that. Something like that. Yeah.

But he didn’t insist on it being drilled off or anything.

No, no, no. He didn’t insist on that. We gave him the option if he wanted it replaced or whatever, and he just I think he just wanted his money back. That’s really what it was. In a way, though.

That’s better. Yeah. Because. Because if you’re having to drill it off. Yeah. Now you’re doing some harm, you know?

Now you know what I mean? Do some more damage now.

More damage can happen. Yeah. In a way that’s. That resolution isn’t the end of the world.

Yeah. Yeah.

So. All right. And is he still a patient or. No, no, no.

This was in my previous job. Yeah, it’s years ago. But how.

Did you. How did he leave it? Did he leave happy or did he leave? Pissed off?

Yeah, he left. He left happy. I think what they tried to do was his daughter as a lawyer or something like that. Tried to make it out, you know, like he tried to make it out, like putting an email across and saying, my daughter’s a lawyer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And so it just kind of scares you off. And we were already scared at university when when any of complaints or anything happens. And my boss really backed me as well and he was like, you know, these things happen, so do you want to take the hit? But you did.

You did make an error. Yeah. Yeah. And the error wasn’t the metal. The error was not telling him.

Not telling him exactly.

Not telling him. Yeah. Like if you, if you, if we’re going to reflect on it. Yeah. That was your mistake.

Yeah.

Communication and in a way giving him his money back. I mean, that’s harsh. It’s harsh, but, but, but in a way he kind of deserved his money back because. Yeah, he hadn’t told him right?

No, exactly. Yeah, exactly. And didn’t have any qualms about it. So it was. Yeah. And then he was, he was fine and we really got on anyway when he used to come in and he was actually quite embarrassed when he came in and when he was asking me for could I have the money back, he was quite kind of Is that.

Really the worst thing that’s ever happened to you in.

Dentistry? Honestly? Touchwood Are you lucky? Literally. How old are you? Yeah. Don’t have to give him my age. I’m a few years qualified. I’ll be. I’ll say just over five years qualified. So what a girly. Yeah. You know what it is? If there’s any directors or producers listening in to my age, they might say, You’re not fit for this movie. So that’s the reason why. Try not to say it. So of course.

Of course. Of course, of course.

Sorry. Because my playing age, my playing age would be younger than I am. So. And I don’t want people to think You look younger. You look well. Thank you.

You look like a baby face, man. You look like the kind of kid. Yeah.

Yeah.

What about in acting?

Acting? Mistakes? I think mistakes happen all the time, but we never get told what mistake, what the mistake was because we never really get much feedback. So. No, but strategical mistake.

Maybe like, you should have.

Gone, maybe not gone to school or whatever it was. Yeah. I mean, I try not to have regrets in terms of maybe I should have continued acting, maybe I should have persisted and rebelled against my family a bit more and go into acting school maybe, you know. But I try not to think on that road because then it can drain you out a little bit. And then what were you thinking of? What I was thinking of was the musical that I did. Was it so, you know, the dress change is quite quick in some of the scenes, right? So in my head I thought, okay, I’m out of this outfit. Next scene is coming up. I need to my next entry was from the audience, so I had to go all the way around at the back to get in from the audience. And I was I was doing a big number. So I was coming in through the audience, through the crowd. And so I thought I’d done my scene in that outfit. I came round and I was like, Yeah, I’m waiting around. Like, Where is everyone? Then I looked through the doors of.

The the auditorium and there’s a little window look through and realised that the actors that are on stage, I should be with them right now. I should be on stage right now. There’s dialogue that I need to do and I tried to rush back, but the doors were locked and by the time I got to the side of the stage, that scene was over. So it was fortunate that they managed to handle it themselves. And they they figured it out. They improvised the scene a little bit and got away with it. But that was a massive booboo on my part. Yeah. Or when another time in the same tour I was doing a big dance number on stage. My mic fell out and my mic was dangling in between my legs whilst I was doing the whilst I was doing the dance. And I was like, You know what? The show must go on. The show must go on. So just continue. Continued it. Um, then got off and then everyone tried to help me out and. Yeah. What about, what about the.

The dark side. The dark side of, of being an actor? Like, I don’t know, drugs is there. It must be, right?

No, no, I’ve not got into I’ve never been around, you know, but I’ve never been around that sort of situation too.

Or. Well, let me give you this. People talk about the sort of the camaraderie of of the group. I don’t know if you’re doing a play and you really get into I’ve heard actors say they get really low when something finishes because they’ve been in this sort of family almost. And it’s very it’s very intense, isn’t it? And they say, you see the same people every day, and then suddenly you’re you’re not seeing those people anymore and your life is suddenly, suddenly real life hits you in the eye sort of thing. Yeah.

Yeah. Have you had that feeling? Yeah, definitely. I mean, there’s times where I’m like, Oh, I love that show so much. I wish we can do it again. And you know, you’re around those people for, you know, morning lunch, dinner and, you know, on tour you’re living with them.

Friendships, right?

Yeah. The friendships that you have. And and it just it’s a bit of a shame really, because we then move on to other projects and it’s difficult to keep in touch with everyone still and, you know, have that same relationship. So yeah, it is. It’s really exciting once you get into a role and into a show and then it’s really sad when you do come out of it. And yeah, it can be very low and lonely and I guess if people don’t have anything else with their lives and they’re really waiting for the next opportunity to come along, it can go into a dark, you can go into a dark space and you’re like, What am I doing?

Covid In Covid, there must have been some terrible stories, right? Because performers in general. You know, there was, you know, because you’re self-employed, so there wasn’t much of the government cash coming your way. You’re a dentist, but, you know, the regular person doesn’t work in a bar, doesn’t have much money, and then suddenly everything stops. It was.

A struggle. We lost a lot of access during that period. No suicide? No. In terms of. Sorry, I don’t mean it that way. I mean, when I say losing actors, I mean they just left the profession. Left the profession, and they were like, I can’t I can’t sustain this anymore. And, you know, it’s a shame because we’re losing a lot of talent. And like I said, with my other friend, you know, he’s a talented individual, but he doesn’t have another stream of income, a good stream of income, let’s say, you know, that can sustain this other profession. So it’s a real shame. And acting, I say to people is a privilege. You know, it’s a privileged profession to get into. If your family comes from a, you know, a lot of wealth, then it’s you know, it’s always those people that get into acting and go into drama schools. And those are the people that come out through the drama schools into the roles. And they get it because most of them I’m not saying all most of them, especially in the UK, have come from a privileged background. And that’s what we’re we’re, we’re kind of dealing with. So those guys would probably stick around because they’re able to afford it. But it’s the people that can’t and are really trying their hardest to to get on screen and, and make a living for themselves are the ones that end up saying, I end up giving up. You know, I met an actor in an audition room a few a few weeks ago. He said to me, I had to stop for a few years. I had a kid, you know, family gets in the way and, you know, you want to you want to have a family. And I think there’s there’s that side of me as well at the moment because I’m thinking, should I, you know, I need to get married and maybe I won’t have kids as well. But how does that work alongside the acting side of things, you know?

Well, you’re right. You’re right. Although to some extent everyone has that right. I mean, kids kids are one of those things that you just it’s never right. Yeah. Yeah. I’m surprised you say that. Why? Why is that? I mean, I know the privacy sort of angle, but. But performance, right? I mean.

Yeah, but it’s tedious. I hate the. I just want to perform. I don’t want to have to think about how I’m going to edit this. I’m going to spend hours editing this video. I’m going to do this real, I’m going to do this. I want to take pictures. You know, it sounds weird coming from an actor. I don’t really like the camera that much. I don’t really like the like, people taking I don’t really like people taking photos of me or expect.

You to say that.

Yeah. I mean, I just don’t like. Look, I don’t like. Look, I’ve got used to it because I’m having to do self-tapes and stuff. But you know, I don’t like looking at my photos or taking pictures of me or, you know, I don’t really like that. And hearing the sound of my own voice I absolutely hate. And I think quite a lot of people do. There’s, um, what’s his name? The guy that played Darth Vader’s son, Not Darth Vader’s son. Harrison Ford’s son in Star Wars Wasn’t him. Adam something, was it? So there’s that guy. Anyway, he he went on a radio station and they played his own voice to him on the radio station. And he told them before he goes, I hate the sound of my voice. Don’t put it on. So they put it on on purpose. And he left the studio. He goes, I’m not, I’m not I’m not staying here doing this interview. I’m going off because he just hates the sound of his voice. It’s weird. He’s a proper.

Actor.

Yeah, he’s a brilliant actor. But yeah, it’s just. It’s just one of those things.

Yeah, but I just want to thought. I just want to. Thought that you’d be sort of. You’d at least set up the odd thing on social media where you can like have it in your own with your own rules. Right. Yeah. You don’t, you don’t you don’t have to play anyone else. You can just do whatever, like be your bread and butter. No.

No, I’m a bit shy, I guess, in that respect. It’s weird, but I’m a bit shy when it comes to acting and performing. I’d do it, but in terms of like putting pictures up of me, I cringe at it. I cringe at my like, doing reels and tiktoks and stuff. I cringe at it. I mean, people say to me, Oh, that’s great, but I just I don’t know.

You’ve got to do it was on your TikTok today, actually. Yeah. Yeah. There’s not enough of it there, dude. You need to do it.

There’s not. There’s not. There’s not very good stuff either. It’s not. It’s not great.

But no, it wasn’t bad at all. It wasn’t bad at all. But. But the thing about TikTok is like twice. Three times a day, right? Not. Not.

Yeah, mate. I mean, I started it when it was Covid, so everyone was doing it. I was like, let me give a couple of videos. And then I was like, Get bored of it too quickly. And I’m like, I’m not doing anymore. Yeah.

I’m surprised, man. I’m surprised at that. But that’s I guess that’s the way it goes, you know?

Yeah, yeah. I’m a bit shy, I think. I think obviously always thinking about what society might think as well also comes into it. What would people think? What my friends think, What would what would these guys think? But then again, I’m doing a profession that, you know, I’ve gone into acting on my own.

Yeah, exactly. If you cared what people thought, you wouldn’t be an actor, would you?

Yeah. Yeah, that’s. It’s weird. It’s a weird, complex dynamic I think have inside of my head. Yeah.

Like, look, for me, the funny thing for me is I hate camera. Hate them, hate them. I cannot be myself in front of a camera. But then, but then on on voice. Yeah, I’m totally cool. Like I could sit here and talk all day and not worry about it, but be myself. Yeah. Be myself. When there’s cameras and lights. Yeah. I can’t be myself, man. I’m this other guy.

You know what it is? I think you got a nice voice, though. I think that’s what it is. I’ve got a good voice.

No, no, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t. It’s not about that. It’s like when this camera’s lights. I’m just. I’m just a different. Like, I’m as if there’s a frozen, bedazzled, and and and, you know, I’m also fidgety. Fidgety and, you know, like, it’s just wrong for me to have cameras and lights. It just does my head in completely.

I get it. I get it. Because there was this one advert that I was doing for Wilkinson Sword, and they had literally 60 production staffs and they made this set in particular 60. Yeah. Loads of people were giving instructions. Lights up there, someone doing my beard, doing my shaving for me and you know, for the advert and, and I’m hearing lots of different things from different people and that was for me was overwhelming. I get it. It was, it was overwhelming at some times. And even for me, I mean, it’s not natural being in front of cameras and lights. It’s just you put into the situation is whether you can deal with it or not. And there’s a lot of distractions when you’re on set. Loads of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just trying to stay focussed. But yeah, it’s a thing that I’ve got used to as well. It’s not, it’s not, it doesn’t come naturally to me either.

Even the, the odd bits that we’ve done for promo for Enlightened. Yeah. I just, I take my hat off to the, to the, to the talent man. Yeah. Because it’s like it’s, it’s bloody hard work as well Right. It’s early start late finish and most of the time some fool messing about with a light. Yeah. Yeah. Like most of the time that’s what’s happening. Someone’s just moving something or, or you know, the creative director types. They must piss you off, too, Right?

Well.

That’s the guy you paying your salary. I mean, listen, our creative is one of the most talented people I know and all that. Yeah. Yeah, but you know how it goes from. From from video straight to his little iPad thing. And and and then he’s, like, not happy here. And you can see the models, just the models just dying under the lights and makeup and all of that. Yeah. Yeah. It’s one of the hardest days. I mean, don’t get me wrong, because. Because we don’t do it often. It’s very exciting for me. Yeah, but for you, who’s doing it a lot?

Yeah, it is. It is tiring. There was one thing I did for Dental protection recently, believe it or not, I did one of their training videos and stuff, and I played a dentist. They gave me. I played the dentist. Yeah. They gave me a script of about 3 or 4 pages explaining implants, bridges and dentures to a pretend patient. And, you know, I’ve got my own spiel, but they had their written spiel that I had to follow, obviously. So I had to learn that off script and do it all in one take, literally three full pages, top to bottom, off script, and then the lighting’s right, right? The cameraman said, Oh, stop, cut, We need to do that all again, because you know, we didn’t get the right shot or can the extra the extra that was on there, can you? Oh, you came in too late or you came in too early. Can you move this side? And it is frustrating because you’re doing that same scene over and over again and it’s through no fault of your own, but then it does affect your performance because you get drained and you’re like, I can’t perform anymore. Like, I just can’t do it. It’s just a long day. But yeah, it can get frustrating, especially if it’s there’s no AC, there’s no yeah.

Tell me this dude. When you go to Dental courses, do you recognise that that piece of sort of performative putting on a show at a Dental course. I know it seems it must seem like a joke to you. Yeah, but where I’m going with it, where I’m going with it, man, is look, one of one of 3 or 4 things may happen to you. Yeah. You may become the next Oscar winner. Worldwide superstar. Everyone knows your name. You could carry on in this sort of mode where you’re sort of, you know, it’s paying you and. And you’re enjoying yourself. You could at one point say, Enough, I’m going to be a dentist. Yeah. And that if that happens and you know the reason why your dad made you do it and all that was for this moment. For that moment, because that’s what our dads are there for insurance type worst case scenarios, right? If that happens, you might want to go into teaching. Yeah. Oh yeah. Because a lot of teaching is about, you know, it’s obviously it’s communication, but, but also it’s about putting on a show, you know, in many ways. Exactly. Yeah. And, and we do it so badly as a profession, so badly that it would take like, for instance, for instance, we did a conference, right? None of us knew what we were doing. Yeah. You know, I’d been to a few conferences. Yeah, but I bet. I bet if you were on hand. Yeah. Just simple stuff that someone who does performances and. And, you know, the moment that this lighting happens, do that or whatever it is, you’re going to be very good at that. I mean.

It’s always been something that I’ve. Wanted to do. In fact, my trainer does did a course on carbon fibre bridges. At one point he wanted me to, to perform, to teach, not perform, but to teach. And and it was a performance because I love I love that. I love teaching. And it’s something that I’ve been saying for a while, actually. If I could just teach at a dental hospital instead for those 1 or 2 days as a clinical tutor or whatever it may be, or, you know, doing lectures or whatever, I think I’d definitely be in my element. And it’s something that even my dad said to me. He goes, You’d be great at doing that. And I know I can. I can be good at doing that. But yeah, just maybe I need to scope out some opportunities in that realm and do that.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you could, you could even teach communication, right? Yeah. God, God knows we need it. Yeah, God knows we need it. I mean, it’s. It’s so many of us have some terrible communication and. And often, often it’s the best dentists, right? The ones who are technically best are the ones with the poorest communication. Because. Because they’re often they’re so into the. The technical side. And then they’re just downloading, offloading everything in their heads straight to the patient. And. And I get it, man. I get it. When you’re really passionate about something, you just want to say it, all right? Yeah, but that’s not what the patient wants. The patient wants sort of a caring sharing. Exactly. Lovely guy. Right?

Exactly. I mean, I’ve noticed that in my, you know, in my own dentistry, when I when I speak to patients and I give them time, they really open up and they tell me everything. And, you know, I mean, it’s it’s nice to hear, but obviously you end up being late for your next appointment, which can be another thing. So you have to try and finally balance that. But yeah, definitely. I think, um, but.

You haven’t been around as long as I have. You haven’t been around as long as I have. No, of course. And not, not that I was a dentist very long but, but, but I remember both types very well. I remember I had one boss who clinically he was. He wasn’t a bad dentist. Right. But. But he was behind because he was he was getting to the end of his, his career. And so he was he was doing was completely outdated. And he hadn’t gotten any better or whatever. And but, my God, what a.

Patients loved him. Yeah.

What a charming guy, man. Charming, charming guy. And, you know, he just he was just one of the kind of guys who walks into a room and just held the room, you know, in every situation. And I used to sort of try. And I’m nothing like him, unfortunately. But I was trying. I was trying to learn from him. Yeah. Because at the Christmas party every year, yeah. He would stand up and make a speech and, and he would really, like, make you feel like everything was all right about this job. Just because he’d, he’d, he’d, he’d. He’d talk about every person and he’d be funny about it and all that. And he was the same with his patients. And dude, I saw the work. The work wasn’t much. And then the other side, I’ve, I’ve also had a colleague, one of the best dentists I’ve ever come across. Like. Like literally this guy, the papers. This guy knew that his hand and eye skills simply amazing. But dude, could this guy not talk to patients? Just couldn’t do it, man. He just. He was just he was awkward, you know? And so, like I say, that those are two extremes. But, you know, we we see the communication courses and we see how well they do. And it’s a massive thing. You know, I don’t even think it should be sold as selling, you know, this sort of, you know, it’s become fashionable as an ethical selling, this sort of thing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I remember, you know, one of my family needed an operation. We we picked the surgeon based on his. Just on the consultation. Yeah. I mean, we’re in the field, man. You know, we’re kind of. We should. I mean, you know. Okay. He was one of three who’d been highly recommended and all that. Yeah. Nonetheless, nonetheless, we picked him because of his bedside manner. And it’s not like a dentist, right, where you’re constantly awake and there this guy was going to come and do the operation and leave.

Yeah.

And yet the bedside manner was key to picking. Definitely. But you should do this. You should do this and you should. Whether you do it now or you create a little online series or you just think about it or in fact open a Instagram or TikTok page. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Something that I dread doing. But yeah.

Yeah, exactly.

No, it’s something definitely that I’ve, I’ve looked into. Well, I haven’t looked into it enough, but it’s something that I’ve always had in the back of my mind that I wanted, want to get into that side of things. And, and yeah, I think and like you said, you’ve, I’ve met two different types of dentists as well. A similar thing, patients sometimes always complaining about this one dentist and then Yeah. And always saying like great stuff about another. And even though that dentist is really good, but it’s just the communication side of things. And I think a lot of youngsters actually in my when I was going through university as well, a lot of people still didn’t understand that fact. No, no, no, no. They still don’t.

Listen, listen. You come out of dental school with almost nothing, right? You just, you know, it’s the very, very basics that you learn at dental school. But it’s not it’s not only patients either. I mean, you know, you can’t run a massive, brilliant business without communicating with your team, you know, and some people have got it. Some people just got that sort of inspire your people to do things for them. Basically. Again, this guy, this guy was so good at that. And then some people just don’t, you know, But, you know, you will find whether you’ve got it or not, it’s going to come a lot easier to you. Yeah. Those skills.

Yeah. I mean, that’s like I said, I think that’s one of my strongest points and. You know, And I think, yeah, when I go into a practice, I think when I go in to do interviews and things like that, I think people can see that I come across well. And yeah, I think that is my strongest point. Yeah. I think, I think like I said, when my friends were coming through dental school, when I was also iterating at that point and saying, you know, I think communication is and we have a lot of tutors saying the same thing. And so I was more focussed on how am I going to explain this to a patient? And you always feel guilty when you talk about money. That was always a thing. When I was in, I struggled explaining to the patient, By the way, this is going to cost. And it was always with a wince every time I say it, by the way, it’s going to be £200 privately for this and that. And most of the time they say, yeah, it’s fine, not a problem. And you’re just like, wow, you know, you just you don’t think it’s the way you explain it. And so with me, this is what I do personally, and I think that helps is once the x rays are done, I get them over and I show them the x ray, explain exactly what the x ray is about. This is if we do this, we do that. This is what happens. This is what the thing is going to cost. If you do this, that’s going to cost that. Okay. I do run over my nurses always screaming at me, Oh God, I’m going to be like ten minutes late for the next one. But you know what? I think it’s really important for the patient to understand all the options that they have before embarking on the treatment, because last thing you want is for them to put in a complaint a couple of weeks down the line and saying, You never explained that to me.

Although although if you listen to my co-hosts, Prav, who’s a complete expert at this kind of thing, yeah, he talks about no more than three choices. And he’s very strong on this idea of these are the choices A, B and C, and my recommendation is choice B, Yeah, but but he calls it this. He calls it earn the right to make that recommendation. That’s the whole thing. Okay. To get the respect and the and the rapport and, and understand the person enough. And I don’t know, you probably have me in this situation, but with lawyers I’ve been in this situation where lawyers says X, Y, Z, there’s that that, that, that just it’s confusing. Confusing. Yeah. Yeah. And then you turn around and you say, all right, man, what would you do? Yeah, yeah. And then sometimes the lawyer turns around and says, That’s not what I’m here for. That’s not my it’s not my choice at all. I’ve told you what and. Okay, I get it. Yeah, but a really damn good lawyer, the one you go back to and pay more and all that. Yeah. He’ll say, yeah, do this. Do this. Yeah, I would do this. Yeah.

That’s what you need don’t you.

That’s what you want isn’t it. And so people want that from their dentist too. Right. What would you do. Yeah. Yeah.

Well but, but then we all, we also get told, like I said during university, like, don’t tell them what you would think you would want to do because that can make, you know, so it’s, you know, you learn that on the job that maybe that is the right thing to do. But when you’re learning, when you’re going through dental school, you’re hearing all these different opinions and you’re thinking, okay, I must not make an actual decision. I must not push them to doing this. Rather than that, um, you know.

Dental school, you’re not going to learn much about this, are you?

I mean, you know, you learn on the job, but.

That’s the thing.

Yeah.

But it’s been lovely talking to you. Really enjoyed it very much, but thank you. We always finish this podcast with the same two questions. I don’t know if if they sent you them or not, but there’s one which is fantasy dinner party. Okay.

Three man fighting. Right. Okay. Dead or alive?

You know what? You know what? Dead, alive or even a character.

All right. Oh, now you’ve made it interesting.

Superman. Spider-man.

Oh, yes. See, my favourite superhero is Batman. Um, but then which Batman would I speak to? Probably the Christian Bale.

Christian Bale, for sure.

Yeah. Yeah. And then I’d like to speak to Heath Ledger, but don’t want to speak to his joker because he was quite scary. So the dinner party. Um, yeah. When I. When I think about the dead or alive without being it characters, I would say Brian Cox, the scientist, I think he I’ve got a keen interest in astronomy, a cool dude. And, you know, he explains, he used to be a pop star in films. Yeah, he was in a band. What a cool dude. Yeah. Yeah, I think he’s great. I mean, it would have been Stephen Hawking before that, but now I would say I would say Brian Cox, I think he’s brilliant. And Cristiano Ronaldo favourite of mine in terms of he’s come up. Yeah, of course he must have. I mean, he’s a, he’s an idol of mine. Listen, I.

Don’t really follow football either. Explain it to me. Is it only because of his football or is it because he’s so charming?

I think neither. I think it’s. I think more so. I think more so. It’s to do with his mentality. And that’s what I want to get from him. So his.

Football.

So his football. But I mean, more more than that. It’s more his determination how he gets get it.

I get it.

You know what? He’s got his own private chef, his own trainer. He’s got you know, he paints his nails.

And he’s quite old, isn’t he? He’s quite old for someone at the top of his game.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. You know, the amount of money he’s making in Saudi Arabia is crazy. But, I mean, just that mentality to be the first one there, last one out to do it, prove everyone again and again and again. And as an actor is what you want to do. Like we basically start from zero. After a show finishes, you start at the bottom again and you’re working your way again. So it’s not like, Oh yeah, you know, it doesn’t really it happens in, you know, when you become a major TV star or movie star, they’re like, okay, yeah, this guy was good in that. Now let’s get him in this. But when it comes to like theatre work, you’re almost like because you’re like being shown to a few thousand people, you know, you’re not it’s not to the masses, so you have to start again. So yeah, and that’s the mentality that, you know, I’d like to pick his brain regarding that.

And is he charming or isn’t he? No, no, I love him.

I love him because I’m a United fan and I’ve always loved him growing up watching football. And it’s so sad the way he left. Oh, it’s.

All of that as well. It goes back to your child. Yeah, Yeah, I get it. I get it.

The last.

Who’s the third.

One? Uh, who was it I had? I was going to say Heath Ledger or, um. Like I said, Robert De Niro. I love him. I think it’s great. Yeah. Some skills I’d like to pick up from him.

That he’d make a party fun money.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, or it could be he could go really dark. Depends on what kind of Robert De Niro you get. In which Robert DeNiro.

Taxi driver.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, cool, cool.

And the last question is like a deathbed question. It’s a bit difficult for someone so young, but, but it’s about three pieces of advice that you would leave to your friends, family, loved ones, the world.

I think, follow your passion. I mean, for someone like me, I mean, it comes natural. I’ve got to say to people, you know, if if it was my kids, I would I would say if you if you really want to do something, go and do it. But if you’re unsure, then I’ll guide you. But yeah, I would always say if you have a passion, follow it.

If you’re unsure, become a dentist.

Become a dentist. Yeah. I don’t know if I’d give him that advice, but. But yeah, because obviously the way the profession is at the moment, it’s, it’s a bit difficult. But, um, what would I say? The other things I would say is don’t listen to the haters, which sometimes you get you get much.

Haters as.

Well. I think on the sly no one comes out talking to me about it, but I’m pretty sure a lot of people would have been talking behind my back. Oh, you know, Rafi’s got to do this, by the way. He’s doing this. I’m sure. I’m sure that happens all the time. And maybe if I post a maybe you see me on TV or. And they think, Oh, that’s a bit funny. You know, it’s a joke. Look at look at Rav. But, you know, but also get the other side now is like my people are coming up to me saying, you know what? I really respect that. I really respect that you’ve you had a profession, but you’ve chosen what you actually love doing. And I’ve had a lot of people saying that I’ve inspired them. I mean, that’s an immense feeling to for people to to say that to me, you know, I feel very honoured that people say that. But yeah, I think I think, you know, once you start proving people wrong, that’s when you earn the respect. And yeah, I’d say just carry on that way.

What about what about, what about in the Indian community is is there an element of what like is there.

Yeah.

Like looking down on acting.

Yeah, of course. Of course. Even with Bollywood.

And all that.

Yeah. I mean, mean doesn’t matter if, you know, if they love Bollywood, it doesn’t matter. It’s more the fact that it’s not a stable profession.

It’s a frivolous thing compared to being a doctor.

And yeah, exactly. If you’re going to kiss people on screen. And what does that say about you as a person? People don’t people don’t dissociate the two different things between Bollywood and reality. I think a lot of people have that difficulty. And I think that’s that’s one of the things I think people can’t dissociate.

So have you had have you ever had like a stalker type, like someone who’s been obsessed by you, some woman?

Oh, not I wouldn’t say stalker, but I would say yes constantly. Dming me on Instagram. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And one of them’s like, Oh, can I make sure I take a photo with you afterwards? Or, Oh, we should meet up. Oh, there was this, there was a guy actually as well wanted to, to, to basically asking me out, when are you free? Let’s meet up. And I’m like, Yeah, you know, so I do get some, you know, questionable people in my DMS who have seen the shows or whatever. But yeah, not really had a stalker and I don’t really want one to be honest. So if anyone have you, have you ever been recognised? Yes, I have. Yeah. I was actually in a queue like that.

Or do you not like that?

I love it. I love it. I’m not going to beat around the bush. I do love it. I do love it. But I think when if it ever does get too intense where there’s loads of people, then I think I would maybe not like it as much. But at this moment in time, any bit of recognition is great for my soul and it gives you validation. It gives you, you know. But are you worried?

Do you worry that you’re out somewhere and whatever? Like someone knows you’re like, I don’t know, in co-op?

Uh, no, I don’t know.

I think cigarettes or something, you know what I mean?

Like, whatever. I mean, I don’t smoke, but. Yeah, I know what you mean, but whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I think. I don’t know whether I’d like that. I think there has been a couple of instances. No, but I think I have done it to other people who are obviously more, more, you know, of a bigger fame than me. But yeah, I mean, I’ve. I’ve done it. Then I’m like, Oh my God, that’s that guy. That’s that girl. That’s, that’s that person. I was with a big Bollywood actress recently in India. I was stayed with their family and and she took me out for a meal in, in I don’t know if you’ve heard of Soho House. Have you heard of Soho House? Sure, yeah. It’s for those people that don’t know. It’s it’s a basically a members club for, for creatives. And there was one in Mumbai at the time and and downstairs in the restaurant anyone can go in there, the layman can go in, the public can go in there. But if you need to go into some other restaurants and bars upstairs, that’s only for the members. So anyway, we were sitting down and there’s a few of us just having a meal and then it was constantly people coming up to the actress and being like, Please, ma’am, can I have your photo? But obviously no one’s recognising me. And I’m like, I’m sitting here next to her as well. Yeah, but yeah, it was, it was. I think she, you know, she’s probably getting this all the time, so maybe she’s a bit fed up of it, but I think it’s a great, great thing. But obviously don’t want you don’t want people to come and ruin your meal with whoever you’re having it with. But yeah, it’s nice to have that feeling of someone recognising you for the work that you’ve done.

Sure. I don’t know how far we got. Was that two pieces of advice or is it?

I think it was two pieces of advice. The last thing I would say is try and. Avoid having any regrets. If at this moment, if at one moment you want to do something, go and do it. If you want to go and travel, go and do it. Just don’t have any regrets and think, what’s your biggest? Pretty much. Nah. Like I say, I try not to have regrets. I think the biggest regret.

I find it, you know, when people say don’t have regrets. Yeah. What you just said now, which was like, go for stuff, do the things you want to do. But sometimes I feel like it’s saying even if you didn’t do the things you want to do, don’t worry about it. And those are two separate things. Those are two different things. I try not to have regrets. Kind of. I try not to have regrets. Try not to look backwards at all.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Generally, yeah, yeah. But. But that’s one thing. But I think the way you said it was different, it was like almost like grab all opportunities and do all the things you want to do. Yeah, it’s kind of a different thing, I think.

Yeah. Yeah, You know.

What I mean? But they. They both get classed and I don’t have regrets.

Camp Yeah, yeah. I’m more of the positive side in terms of grabbing things rather than.

Go on, Go on, indulge.

Me. So like I said, the biggest, the biggest probably the biggest regret I had was not continuing when I was a child and maybe being a bit more stronger and against against the family. I mean, don’t don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate them for it. I don’t, you know, I think yeah, yeah. Now I see the, the, the rewards of the rewards of doing something like dentistry whilst doing acting. Because if I didn’t have that source of income, I’d be struggling, honestly, I’d be struggling as an actor to make ends meet if I was in the same position and and had no dentistry. So I really commend them in that respect. But I also think that what what may what could have happened if I didn’t, you just always wonder a little bit like what might have happened if I did that.

You know, You know what? You know what’s really interesting? Yeah. That that I said to you about my kid, Oxford, Cambridge or whatever. Yeah. Like, how much of that advice is for you and about your and how much is it for, for, for the parent and for the parent too. Because if a parent has to I know in Indian circles, shame is a gigantic thing, right? Like a parent has to turn up and and aunty says, Oh, what’s Ravi doing? And they say, oh, Ravi’s an actor without being able to say he’s also a doctor. It’s so difficult. Yeah. In Indian Indian circles, it definitely is. It the weird thing is in western circles, you say, I’m an actor. It’s like a cool thing. It’s like, wow, yeah, it’s a wow thing, you know?

Yeah. I think it’s just. It’s just a mindset.

I just. I just hope, though, Yeah. Dude. That by the time you have kids. Yeah, yeah. And I’m not I’m not that that that confident though but I just hope by the time you have kids that it would have been sort of evolved to the point that if you and your girlfriend’s kid says, I want to write a screenplay, you’d be like, hell yeah. And but then go to a party and and boast about it. Yeah. Rather than hiding it and saying, Oh, he’s also a lawyer. Yes.

Yes. I went to a wedding recently, like just this weekend, and I had people come up to me, Oh, I’ve seen you in that show. I went to watch your show. Yeah. And then I’ve had people like family members, like cousins and things who have been jealous because I’m a dentist and now doing doing acting. But before that, when people used to say, Oh, he dances, he acts, he does this, it was more of a like taking the piss, like, look at you, you know, look at your son doing this and doing that. But in fact, they also loved it because they’d want me to perform at their birthday events or whatever it might be. But then when it suits them to turn it around and say, oh, you know, he’s just he’s just, you know, performing and loves doing all that kind of stuff.

But it’s been a massive pleasure. Massive, massive pleasure. My my biggest hope for you is that you become a Hollywood actor. And thank you. Really, you know, like that. To hell with dentistry. Because I see. I see the passion. Yeah, but but, but also exactly. Some sort of performative thing in dentistry, too, man.

No, no, thank you.

No, because I think. I think you’d be really good at it. Thank you very much. But. But really, thank you so much for. For taking the time to do this. And funny how it how it came about. Right. Because you were you were asking me about an enlightened case and and I was at Tina Turner the musical, which I didn’t want to be at. Yeah. Like. Like I didn’t. I didn’t dig Tina, by the way. I loved it. I thought it was brilliant.

Was good. Yeah.

Good. But I did not want to be there. Yeah, but I took a picture of the stage because it was before it started. I said, I’ll write you the email after, after this. And then you went, I’m an actor. Yeah, we started talking.

Yeah, it’s just meant to be. It was just meant to be. When you sent me that picture, I was like, Wait a minute. Is that a show? Does he know how funny?

Yeah, brilliant. Great.

Thanks a lot very much for having me on. No, appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

For doing this, buddy.

This is Dental Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your hosts. Payman, Langroudi and Prav. Solanki.

Thanks for listening, guys. If you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And just a huge thank you both from me and pay for actually sticking through and listening to what we’ve had to say and what our guest has had to say. Because I’m assuming you got some value out of it.

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