Walking the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival would often seem like a distant dream to Abhilash Thapliyal. Or, working in an Anurag Kashyap film, for that matter. But with Kennedy, the RJ-host-turned-actor has realised both dreams. Kashyap’s noir cop drama, led by Sunny Leone, Rahul Bhat and Benedict Garrett, is set to have its world première on May 24 in the Midnight Screening section of the ongoing festival. Thapliyal, who plays a pivotal role in the movie, can hardly contain his excitement.

He says, “Travelling to the Cannes Film Festival is a dream come true for me, and for any actor. Being an RJ before, I have spoken about it in my shows, but to go there with a film is an honour. I am thankful to Anurag sir for making me a part of Kennedy.”

It has been a natural progression from radio jockeying to hosting and then acting for Thapliyal. After catching the audience’s attention with Entertainment Ki Raat, he followed it up with TVF Aspirants (2021), Blurr and Faadu (2022). Admitting that he is learning the ropes of acting, he credits the filmmakers for honing his skills.

“I am learning the nuances of acting. I try to be as honest as I can, committing fully to my performance, and doing thorough homework. It’s pure luck that I got to work with directors like Amit Sharma [in the upcoming Maidaan], Ajay Bahl, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and now, Anurag sir.”