Rashmi Rekha Das
Child actor Ruhan Samantray is a poet whose aim in life is to become a football player and win the world cup for India. The multi-talented kid has a penchant for storytelling too
Kids have played some memorable roles in films and television shows. In fact a few child artistes have become household names, more sought after than even their illustrious adult co-stars. Ruhan Samantray, a student of Class II at Sai International School, is a promising performer – a star in the making. The seven-year-old is a delightful child actor who wowed the entire cast and crew of an album unit on the first day of shooting. Orissa Post chats up the young star about his interests and ambitions.
With the release of the album ‘Aee Ama Gaon’ with singer Abhijit Mishra, Ruhan, son of businessman Rudra Samantray and Vaishali Nanda, soon became a well-known face in the television industry. His first album received great reviews from fans as well as critics. His second album, ‘Tu Mo Mana Abhimana’, which is based on the role of a father in his child’s life, is set for release on World Father’s Day, June 18. That apart, his third album, ‘Ei Jibanata Jibana Nuhen To Bina’ starring Aman, veteran actor Ajit Das, and Sushri, is set for a July release.
How did Ruhan get his first break? His mother said: “Director Deepak Ranjan saw his photo on Facebook and approached me. He wanted to cast my son in his album. I did not say ‘yes’ all of a sudden. I asked my son whether he was interested in acting. His answer was ‘Yes’. We did not give the matter a second thought after that. To our surprise, he stunned the entire unit with his acting skills.”
Asked what he is passionate about, the child artiste from Bhubaneswar said: “I love to write short stories and poetry. That is my passion. I have penned three poems, one on my father, the second on my mother, and the third on my cousins. I love my family and that is the reason why my writings reflect my depth of love for my family. I have written six short stories so far – all on animals. I love to write stories in the first person.”
Asked what inspired him to pen poems and stories, the young writer replied: “Writing comes naturally to me. When it comes to inspiration, I would say my father is my inspiration – the biggest support of my life. My first poem was based on my father. He is the best daddy in the world.”
Reflecting on Ruhan’s bonding with his father, Vaishali said: “Ruhan loves his father more than anybody else. One day, we all were watching the movie ‘The Lion King’ in which the father lion, Mufasa, dies. Seeing the tragic death of Mufasa, Ruhan broke into tears. ‘No father should die and leave his kids to suffer. I don’t want to watch a movie in which the father gets killed or dies,’ he told me. His special bond with his father has helped him to give his best, along with Abhijeet, in the second album which is based on a father’s role in a child’s life.”
“Ruhan is very creative and disciplined. When he was only four, he started writing poetry. It was a proud moment for me when his poem was published in the tabloid Coffee Bytes. Besides, I was on cloud nine when he made his first television appearance in a regional television channel. It was an interview. He always thinks differently. His aim is to become a football player and win the world cup for the country,” added Vaishali.
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Ruhan at a glance
Favourite dishes: Chicken biryani, tandoori chicken
Most-loved destination: Bangalore
Aim: To be a football player
Inspiration: Father
