Contacting Raghu Ram isn’t any less daunting than the jaw dropping tasks that he makes his participants of his show perform. He’s changed his number, and for good reasons. Now, only callers whose numbers are saved on his mobile, can reach him. “I changed my number after it was splashed actress several websites,” says Raghu. Hence Abbas Tyrewala, the director of Jaane Tu ….Ya Jaane Na, couldn’t contact him when he wanted to make him an offer for his next film- 1-800-Love, starring John Abharam and Abba’s wife Pakhi. ” My wife Sugandha Garg, who played Shaleen, the tomboy of the gang in Jaane…. gave my number to Abbas. Then he called me for an audition and I liked the profile of the character. It’s a fairly nice meaty role,” says Raghu.
The director was looking for a certain kind of personality for the film, maintains Raghu. “In fact, when I read the script for the first time months ago, there was a requirement for a lean, bald guy with a goatee,” says Raghu. But he won’t demonstrate his agggressive streak in the film, something that he is known and dreaded for on the reality show he hosts. “I am quite aggressive in real life too, but my character is that of a very funny guy who turns serious when he falls in love. I play John’s friend, John’s conscience in a way. Interestingly, my wife played Genelia’s conscience in Jaane…..,” says Raghu. On the unusual title of the film, he says, ” 1-800 is usually a helpline number, so the film has got something to do with that concept, and will go on production in July and will be shot in London.