The character of Ravi in Jessie was written for Karan Brar
David Livingston/Getty Images
It’s hard to imagine Jessie without Ravi, but the original concept for the show didn’t have the character in it. When Karan Brar auditioned for the hit Disney show, it was for the role of Luke, which ended up going to Cameron Boyce instead. Losing the role wasn’t the end for Brar, though. The young actor’s several auditions for the part were so impressive that the role of Ravi was written especially for him.
Instead of being flattered, Brar was initially distraught. “I thought, wow I did such a bad job they kind of gave me a pity role,” he told Talk Nerdy With Us. Brar added that he was quickly assured by Jessie’s executive producer that the role was anything but and that such characters are rarely written for people. Jessie was an early part for Brar, whose only role before landing the part of Ravi was as Chirag in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films. Brar told Bitmap Mag that he “started not knowing anything about sitcom,” but that his role on Jessie helped him “grow as an actor and produce work that I’m proud of.”
Karan Brar said playing Ravi on Jessie made him “mature faster”
Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
Karan Brar was just 12 years old when the first episodes of Jessie debuted, and he pretty much grew up on the show. While being a child star can be difficult, thrusting a kid into the spotlight before they’re ready for it, Brar doesn’t look at being a child star as a bad experience.
That being said, starring as Ravi on Jessie was definitely a unique experience that affected Brar’s upbringing. He told Bitmap Mag that he “grew up just like any other kid,” although he “also had to mature [at a] faster rate.” Brar also explained that he was in “a predominantly adult environment” on the set of Jessie, which meant that he always had “to be professional” at a young age. Thankfully, Brar’s childhood wasn’t all about filming. “I still had time to hang with my friends and I don’t feel like I missed out when I was growing up,” he recalled.
Karan Brar had guest roles on several TV shows
David Livingston/Getty Images
While Karan Brar may be best known for his role as Ravi on Jessie and its spin-off, Bunk’d, the actor has appeared in a lot of other shows. Some other places you might recognize Brar from are his guest arcs on the shows Pair of Kings, Lab Rats: Bionic Island, The Night Shift, Champions, and Epic Night.
Brar also portrayed the role of Ravi in crossover events for some other Disney shows, appearing in episodes of Disney Monstober, Austin & Ally, and Ultimate Spider-Man. But there’s one crossover that Brar had hoped to do that never came to fruition: a Bunk’d/Bizaardvark special. He even proposed how the crossover could work, telling Talk Nerdy With Us, “I think one of the things on that show, they do like a live show with their music, so we could have it crossover that way, where we somehow get a plane ticket to meet them in LA.” Alas, Bizaardvark wrapped in 2019, so it’s unlikely we will ever see Brar’s dream play out.
Karan Brar has done a lot of voice acting
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
You might first recognize Karan Brar’s face from his role as Ravi in Jessie, but he’s been in a lot of productions that you might not know about unless you pay really close attention. That’s because Brar has lent his voice to a number of shows and films, including Sofia the First, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Solar Opposites, Cleopatra in Space, and Mira, Royal Detective.
Brar has been doing voice acting since almost the very beginning of his career, after landing his role as Prince Zandar in Sofia the First in 2013, just two years after the premiere of Jessie. Brar’s voice roles provide a change of pace for the actor from his live-action roles, but he told BSC Kids that both types of acting “are hard to do” in different ways. The big difference, he said, is that with voice acting “you don’t have to worry about blocking or props,” but that in live-action roles those things “help” convey the character.
After playing Ravi on Jessie, Karan Brar starred in this Adam Sandler film
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Another big role that Karan Brar landed after he played Ravi on Jessie is that of Deli Mike Mundi in 2020’s Hubie Halloween. Brar starred alongside the legendary Adam Sandler in the Netflix flick. Comedic fare is obviously right up Brar’s alley after so many years of portraying Ravi on Disney sitcoms, but the role in Hubie Halloween offered up a big twist for the actor as Mike isn’t exactly the nicest of characters. “No, I just have never really played a villain before,” Brar told Screen Rant. Brar relished exploring a different sort of character, saying that “playing Mike was just the most fun.”
Brar added that Mike is a huge contrast from his typical “nerd” parts, but that he infused some of his own “goofy and nerdy self” into the “really mean character.” He said, “I thought that made for a really interesting dynamic.”
Karan Brar had this to say about the #MeToo movement
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
The actor who played Ravi on Jessie may be on the younger side, but he’s quite outspoken in his beliefs and is a staunch supporter of the #MeToo movement. Karan Brar talked to Crush Fanzine about his stance on the movement and his support for the women in the industry who spoke out about the horrifying treatment they face in Hollywood.
Brar called the women who have lent their voices to the movement “strong and brave,” and called on his fellow men in the performance industry “to listen” as well as “to check our privilege and see how we contribute to the problem subconsciously.” Brar also urged men in the acting industry to “contribute to the solution” to end such harassment. The actor also vowed to “try harder to ask more questions and listen more,” counting himself as “an ally” to women in the #MeToo movement.
This is the big lesson Karan Brar learned from playing Ravi in Jessie
Angela Weiss/Getty Images
The character of Ravi from Jessie is one that fans of the series will never forget, but Karan Brar also learned a lot about himself from portraying Ravi for so many years. Namely, there’s one big thing in particular that sticks out in Brar’s mind from his time on Jessie, which he opened up about in an interview with Talk Nerdy With Us. “In the workspace, it’s ’never stop learning,’” he shared. He also explained that “It’s SO easy to get cocky and just assume” that you know everything, but that “it’s important to remember” to learn from those with more experience “so you can understand how the machine works.”
Brar explained that he always tried to do this on set, saying “it keeps you more humble when you’re trying to learn more,” adding that it’s not just the more senior actors on set who had something to teach him. Brar then concluded that he and Ravi are “complete opposites,” but that Ravi taught him to be more confident.
Ravi From Jessie Is Unrecognizably Gorgeous Now
Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images
Disney Channel fans will be familiar with the popular show Jessie, which aired from 2011 to 2015 and focused on the exploits of the titular character, who takes on the role of a nanny for the four Ross kids in New York City. Actor Karan Brar played one of those kids, Ravi, capturing the hearts of viewers over the show’s run.
Many years after Jessie wrapped, Brar is all grown up and looking quite handsome — not to mention making quite the name for himself in Hollywood. If you haven’t checked in on Brar since his Disney days, you might be quite surprised. He’s definitely come out of his Disney kid shell and has racked up quite the list of acting credits, including roles in Epic Night, Schooled, Stargirl, Cleopatra in Space, and Youth & Consequences. Here’s a closer look at what the unrecognizably gorgeous actor who played Ravi in Jessie is up to today.
Many years after Jessie wrapped, Brar is all grown up and looking quite handsome — not to mention making quite the name for himself in Hollywood. If you haven’t checked in on Brar since his Disney days, you might be quite surprised. He’s definitely come out of his Disney kid shell and has racked up quite the list of acting credits, including roles in Epic Night, Schooled, Stargirl, Cleopatra in Space, and Youth & Consequences. Here’s a closer look at what the unrecognizably gorgeous actor who played Ravi in Jessie is up to today.
The character of Ravi in Jessie was written for Karan Brar
David Livingston/Getty Images
It’s hard to imagine Jessie without Ravi, but the original concept for the show didn’t have the character in it. When Karan Brar auditioned for the hit Disney show, it was for the role of Luke, which ended up going to Cameron Boyce instead. Losing the role wasn’t the end for Brar, though. The young actor’s several auditions for the part were so impressive that the role of Ravi was written especially for him.
Instead of being flattered, Brar was initially distraught. “I thought, wow I did such a bad job they kind of gave me a pity role,” he told Talk Nerdy With Us. Brar added that he was quickly assured by Jessie’s executive producer that the role was anything but and that such characters are rarely written for people. Jessie was an early part for Brar, whose only role before landing the part of Ravi was as Chirag in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films. Brar told Bitmap Mag that he “started not knowing anything about sitcom,” but that his role on Jessie helped him “grow as an actor and produce work that I’m proud of.”
Instead of being flattered, Brar was initially distraught. “I thought, wow I did such a bad job they kind of gave me a pity role,” he told Talk Nerdy With Us. Brar added that he was quickly assured by Jessie’s executive producer that the role was anything but and that such characters are rarely written for people.
Jessie was an early part for Brar, whose only role before landing the part of Ravi was as Chirag in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films. Brar told Bitmap Mag that he “started not knowing anything about sitcom,” but that his role on Jessie helped him “grow as an actor and produce work that I’m proud of.”
Karan Brar said playing Ravi on Jessie made him “mature faster”
Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
Karan Brar was just 12 years old when the first episodes of Jessie debuted, and he pretty much grew up on the show. While being a child star can be difficult, thrusting a kid into the spotlight before they’re ready for it, Brar doesn’t look at being a child star as a bad experience.
That being said, starring as Ravi on Jessie was definitely a unique experience that affected Brar’s upbringing. He told Bitmap Mag that he “grew up just like any other kid,” although he “also had to mature [at a] faster rate.” Brar also explained that he was in “a predominantly adult environment” on the set of Jessie, which meant that he always had “to be professional” at a young age. Thankfully, Brar’s childhood wasn’t all about filming. “I still had time to hang with my friends and I don’t feel like I missed out when I was growing up,” he recalled.
That being said, starring as Ravi on Jessie was definitely a unique experience that affected Brar’s upbringing. He told Bitmap Mag that he “grew up just like any other kid,” although he “also had to mature [at a] faster rate.” Brar also explained that he was in “a predominantly adult environment” on the set of Jessie, which meant that he always had “to be professional” at a young age.
Thankfully, Brar’s childhood wasn’t all about filming. “I still had time to hang with my friends and I don’t feel like I missed out when I was growing up,” he recalled.
After Jessie, Karan Brar reprised the role of Ravi in Bunk’d
Angela Weiss/Getty Images
On Bunk’d, the Ross kids are uprooted from their New York City penthouse and sent to the summer camp Camp Kikiwaka, which made for a more approachable experience for Brar. The actor joked to Talk Nerdy With Us that he “did a lot of research for” the show since he “actually went to camp for a whopping two days back in fifth grade.”
Karan Brar had guest roles on several TV shows
While Karan Brar may be best known for his role as Ravi on Jessie and its spin-off, Bunk’d, the actor has appeared in a lot of other shows. Some other places you might recognize Brar from are his guest arcs on the shows Pair of Kings, Lab Rats: Bionic Island, The Night Shift, Champions, and Epic Night.
Brar also portrayed the role of Ravi in crossover events for some other Disney shows, appearing in episodes of Disney Monstober, Austin & Ally, and Ultimate Spider-Man. But there’s one crossover that Brar had hoped to do that never came to fruition: a Bunk’d/Bizaardvark special. He even proposed how the crossover could work, telling Talk Nerdy With Us, “I think one of the things on that show, they do like a live show with their music, so we could have it crossover that way, where we somehow get a plane ticket to meet them in LA.” Alas, Bizaardvark wrapped in 2019, so it’s unlikely we will ever see Brar’s dream play out.
Brar also portrayed the role of Ravi in crossover events for some other Disney shows, appearing in episodes of Disney Monstober, Austin & Ally, and Ultimate Spider-Man. But there’s one crossover that Brar had hoped to do that never came to fruition: a Bunk’d/Bizaardvark special. He even proposed how the crossover could work, telling Talk Nerdy With Us, “I think one of the things on that show, they do like a live show with their music, so we could have it crossover that way, where we somehow get a plane ticket to meet them in LA.” Alas, Bizaardvark wrapped in 2019, so it’s unlikely we will ever see Brar’s dream play out.
Karan Brar has done a lot of voice acting
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
You might first recognize Karan Brar’s face from his role as Ravi in Jessie, but he’s been in a lot of productions that you might not know about unless you pay really close attention. That’s because Brar has lent his voice to a number of shows and films, including Sofia the First, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Solar Opposites, Cleopatra in Space, and Mira, Royal Detective.
Brar has been doing voice acting since almost the very beginning of his career, after landing his role as Prince Zandar in Sofia the First in 2013, just two years after the premiere of Jessie. Brar’s voice roles provide a change of pace for the actor from his live-action roles, but he told BSC Kids that both types of acting “are hard to do” in different ways. The big difference, he said, is that with voice acting “you don’t have to worry about blocking or props,” but that in live-action roles those things “help” convey the character.
Brar has been doing voice acting since almost the very beginning of his career, after landing his role as Prince Zandar in Sofia the First in 2013, just two years after the premiere of Jessie.
Brar’s voice roles provide a change of pace for the actor from his live-action roles, but he told BSC Kids that both types of acting “are hard to do” in different ways. The big difference, he said, is that with voice acting “you don’t have to worry about blocking or props,” but that in live-action roles those things “help” convey the character.
Karan Brar appeared in this sci-fi franchise
Playing a soldier also required Brar to be in peak physical shape, which he told Crush Fanzine was the hardest part of the role. “I have never worked on a project that had me working out the entire time and was this stunt heavy,” he confessed. But Brar rose to the challenge, saying, “It’s always good to mix things up!”
After playing Ravi on Jessie, Karan Brar starred in this Adam Sandler film
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Another big role that Karan Brar landed after he played Ravi on Jessie is that of Deli Mike Mundi in 2020’s Hubie Halloween. Brar starred alongside the legendary Adam Sandler in the Netflix flick. Comedic fare is obviously right up Brar’s alley after so many years of portraying Ravi on Disney sitcoms, but the role in Hubie Halloween offered up a big twist for the actor as Mike isn’t exactly the nicest of characters. “No, I just have never really played a villain before,” Brar told Screen Rant. Brar relished exploring a different sort of character, saying that “playing Mike was just the most fun.”
Brar added that Mike is a huge contrast from his typical “nerd” parts, but that he infused some of his own “goofy and nerdy self” into the “really mean character.” He said, “I thought that made for a really interesting dynamic.”
Comedic fare is obviously right up Brar’s alley after so many years of portraying Ravi on Disney sitcoms, but the role in Hubie Halloween offered up a big twist for the actor as Mike isn’t exactly the nicest of characters. “No, I just have never really played a villain before,” Brar told Screen Rant. Brar relished exploring a different sort of character, saying that “playing Mike was just the most fun.”
Brar added that Mike is a huge contrast from his typical “nerd” parts, but that he infused some of his own “goofy and nerdy self” into the “really mean character.” He said, “I thought that made for a really interesting dynamic.”
Karan Brar had this to say about the #MeToo movement
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
The actor who played Ravi on Jessie may be on the younger side, but he’s quite outspoken in his beliefs and is a staunch supporter of the #MeToo movement. Karan Brar talked to Crush Fanzine about his stance on the movement and his support for the women in the industry who spoke out about the horrifying treatment they face in Hollywood.
Brar called the women who have lent their voices to the movement “strong and brave,” and called on his fellow men in the performance industry “to listen” as well as “to check our privilege and see how we contribute to the problem subconsciously.” Brar also urged men in the acting industry to “contribute to the solution” to end such harassment. The actor also vowed to “try harder to ask more questions and listen more,” counting himself as “an ally” to women in the #MeToo movement.
Brar called the women who have lent their voices to the movement “strong and brave,” and called on his fellow men in the performance industry “to listen” as well as “to check our privilege and see how we contribute to the problem subconsciously.”
Brar also urged men in the acting industry to “contribute to the solution” to end such harassment. The actor also vowed to “try harder to ask more questions and listen more,” counting himself as “an ally” to women in the #MeToo movement.
This is the big lesson Karan Brar learned from playing Ravi in Jessie
The character of Ravi from Jessie is one that fans of the series will never forget, but Karan Brar also learned a lot about himself from portraying Ravi for so many years. Namely, there’s one big thing in particular that sticks out in Brar’s mind from his time on Jessie, which he opened up about in an interview with Talk Nerdy With Us. “In the workspace, it’s ’never stop learning,’” he shared. He also explained that “It’s SO easy to get cocky and just assume” that you know everything, but that “it’s important to remember” to learn from those with more experience “so you can understand how the machine works.”
Brar explained that he always tried to do this on set, saying “it keeps you more humble when you’re trying to learn more,” adding that it’s not just the more senior actors on set who had something to teach him. Brar then concluded that he and Ravi are “complete opposites,” but that Ravi taught him to be more confident.
Brar explained that he always tried to do this on set, saying “it keeps you more humble when you’re trying to learn more,” adding that it’s not just the more senior actors on set who had something to teach him. Brar then concluded that he and Ravi are “complete opposites,” but that Ravi taught him to be more confident.
The death of his Jessie co-star, Cameron Boyce, had a huge impact on Karan Brar
Jesse Grant/Getty Images
Brar opened up about the devastating loss in an Instagram post, in which he called Boyce “the greatest thing to have ever happened to me.” He added, “Wish I had more to say… but I don’t think words will come for a while.”
Several months after Boyce’s death, Brar got a tattoo on his arm to commemorate their friendship. The image is based on a photograph of the two actors, and has text taken from a letter Boyce once wrote to Brar that reads “your partner in crime, Cam.” What a sweet memento to remember such an important person in his life!
Karan Brar keeps his fans updated on social media, but it comes with “pressure”
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Karan Brar wants to see more diversity in Hollywood
Brar’s hope is that the industry continues to become more diverse, pointing to his own casting as Ravi on Jessie – Disney’s first Indian series regular — as “a big step,” as he told upfrontNY. He added, “I feel like it is really cool that now they are… expanding their ethnic horizon.”
Ravi from Jessie is a self-confessed “workaholic”
Valerie Macon/Getty Images
Brar says he inherited his workaholic tendencies from his mom and dad, but even they sometimes need to urge him to take a break. Brar refuses to be complacent, though, saying he’s “always trying to stay hungry.”
Giving back is important to Karan Brar
Brar is all about giving back, and does so in several different ways, such as through GenerationOn, which he explained to Sweety High is “aimed to encouraging youth to take action that changes the world through service.”
Brar is also involved with the Thirst Project which “focuses on providing clean water to developing countries.” The actor explained to Bitmap Mag that his busy work schedule means he can’t be “hands-on” with the organization, but he works on “educating people and spreading awareness.”
