Being Ramesh and Suresh: ‘5 stars’ in their eyes

From eating 50 bars of five star each (on a single shoot, that is) to not being recognized because they didn’t have their wigs on and being denied entry to the studio for their own shoot; being Ramesh and Suresh has been a fun ride for actor duo Goldie and Rana.

Goldie Duggal and Rana Pratap Sengar have been the five star ‘Ramesh-Suresh’ pair for over 11 years now. Something quite endearing, when you think of how rapidly brands are evolving today, and how often companies are revamping marketing strategies. The duo have been featured in over 25 of the little ‘ramesh-suresh’ TVC stories, and have also done 250 digital ads. They also worked in a 30 minute film in which, as Ramesh and Suresh, they go out with… well, Kamala and Vimala! They have never failed to catch the imagination of the audience, be it when they’re bungling into a bank robbery, or trying to offer a seat to their ‘uncle’ neighbor . They’ve also been part of live marketing campaigns, going to theaters and treating people to their craziness, while focusing on the ‘lost in the moment’ theme around which five star promotions revolve. They have their fair share of attention on social media, with people sharing Ramesh-Suresh jokes and also setting up fan pages for them on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

That they will bungle up things is a given. That makes it all the more funny when they appear on screen, because the audience is already looking forward to what they’ll (unconsciously) mess up next.

11 years of being Ramesh and Suresh has given them confidence along with experience. They recall how director Prasoon Pandey once didn’t even tell them what to do on camera, brushing them off with a “you’d know by now”. Rana has dabbled in theater, while Goldie has has worked in the direction department for movies such as Talaash and All is Well. He also enjoys writing, and has directed a few short films.  The five star ad happened by accident, he says. A casting director once asked him if he’d want to do an ad, and an uninterested Goldie got picked out of 600 other aspirants after the auditions. His onscreen twin Rana was turned away the first time, but came back the next day with a wig, claiming to be the rejected guys brother. The wig must have made an impression, as it seems to have become an integral part of their lives now. They’ve grown to be experts on the sets over 11 years, a far cry from the initial days when they weren’t even sure how much to charge for their services. They grown close over the years, playing the duo on screen. They’ve managed to keep each other going, and steer clear of any animosity.

And yes, they look very different from their on-screen avatars, especially minus the wig. So while Ramesh and Suresh will not escape your eye, you might pass Rana and Goldie on the street and not give them a second look. Having amassed the popularity that they have, five star somehow seems to be an appropriate brand for them to endorse!

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