Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; February 7, 2020)

Kunal Kemmu is happy that with films like Kalank (2019) and Malang he has got opportunities to play characters that have many layers and shades to them.

In a conversation with BT, he talks about his career choices, dealing with failure and how his daughter Inaaya Naumi has changed his life. Read on:

You started your journey in Bollywood as a child artiste with Sir (1993). How do you look back at the time you have spent in the film industry?
I have seen Bollywood grow and how! Filmmaking has constantly been evolving. Sync sound and digital film came in much later. I think we shot Kalyug (2005) and Traffic Signal (2007) in the old-school manner. Luckily, because of that, I learnt how to dub. As a kid, too, I would dub for every film. A lot of new actors, who worked with sync sound, find it difficult to dub. Today, there is a massive change in the kind of movies that are being made, the audience’s taste has changed, the platforms for watching films have changed, too. This industry is highly unpredictable, and so, I don’t think one should take success or failure seriously.

How do you deal with failure?
We should know that all that glitters is not gold. The biggest star in the country also faces some problem or another. People should invest in relationships and family because that is your life and work is just a part of it. Many actors have been talking about depression these days. It is not a good place to be in. As the industry is growing, so is the influx of talent, and sometimes there aren’t enough opportunities for everyone. A lot of talented people in Bollywood don’t get what they deserve, and I know how frustrating it is for them. As far as my journey is concerned, I think I chose the right profession. Yes, it has been a roller-coaster ride for me, but that is part and parcel of every actor’s journey. Right now, I am at a stage where new avenues and opportunities are coming my way, and I am enjoying this space. The digital space has opened up, and I got to try my hand at it. In terms of movies, I was typecast as a comic actor, but luckily for me, Kalank happened last year. Unfortunately, the film didn’t do well, but the love I got for the part I played was amazing. Now, Malang is coming up in which I am doing something new, and I am excited about it.

You said a lot of deserving people don’t get opportunities in Bollywood. Your parents Ravi and Jyoti Kemmu are actors, while your grandfather Moti Lal Kemmu was an award-winning playwright. What’s your take on the debate around nepotism?
My dad just acted in one film. He is largely a director (directed TV series Amrapali in 2002, was an assistant director on TV show Dekh Bhai Dekh in 1993 and also films like Zubeidaa, 2001, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, 2005). He would assist Shyam babu (Benegal) and always called himself an art filmmaker. He always told me that he can teach me acting, but cannot help me with my career as he lacked connections. My mom acted in just one show, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam. I feel I am lucky, because I did a show as a child artiste, and that got me noticed.

Someone who was casting for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) saw that show and got me on board. With that film, I got access to someone like Bhatt saab (Mahesh Bhatt), who was very fond of me. When he approached me for Zakhm (1998), I wanted to turn it down as I was in my 10th grade and wanted to focus on studies. He said that he would not make the film if I am not a part of it, and that’s when I changed my mind. Post Zakhm, I told him that I wanted to take a break from acting as I wasn’t sure if I should continue being an actor. He understood my sentiments and said that if I ever wanted to be an actor, I should contact him. For the next five years, I did theatre in college. Then, I wanted to give movies a shot and so, I met Bhatt saab again. Within six months, he offered me Kalyug (2005). At that time, the film was titled Blue Film, and nobody wanted to do it because of its sensational title. I was apprehensive, too, but I liked the script and took the plunge.

You were the leading actor in Kalyug, but later on, you did a lot of films where you were seen in supporting roles. Were you unhappy with the way your career was shaping up?
Yes, of course! Everybody wants to be the next Amitabh Bachchan; I did, too. It was the time when cinema was changing. Corporates were coming in, the discipline of filmmaking was changing, filmmakers were experimenting with newer genres and multi-starrer comedy films became popular. After Kalyug and Traffic Signal, I did a multi-starrer, Dhol (2007), which featured three other actors. Many people advised me against doing the film, but I had made up my mind. I have no qualms about being a part of a multi-starrer as long as my character is memorable. Malang, too, has many actors, but why should I complain as it allows me to do something different. I am happy that this film gave me an opportunity to work with Anil Kapoor. He has been an inspiration. The cast and crew had to keep reminding themselves that he is a senior actor because he would be like one of us during the shoot. The kind of energy he brings on the sets makes one feel like he is the youngest guy on the sets. In fact, we couldn’t match up to his energy.

You have been a part of comedy films, and now here you are, a part of a thriller. Does shooting for a film like Malang leave an impact on you?
Comedy, as a genre, doesn’t drain you emotionally as compared to films like Kalyug, Traffic Signal or Malang. At times, I have been physically exhausted after finishing a day’s shoot for a comedy film, but mentally I wasn’t tired. When you do serious films, you might shoot just one scene in an entire day, but it can drain you emotionally.

You celebrated your fifth wedding anniversary recently. How has your relationship with your wife Soha Ali Khan evolved over the last few years, especially after parenthood?
We have been married for five years, but we have been together for 12 years now. We are a lot alike. We try to have a difference of opinion just to understand the other side of the situation. We debate a lot; sometimes, the arguments are heated (laughs!). I like the fact that she is an independent woman, who has her own views. I value her advice and respect her a lot. It’s very important in any relationship to respect and value each other. I don’t think anything changed between us after marriage, but yes, it did after Inaaya was born. We had a different role to play, our timetable changed, our plans changed, everything that we had to do was now centered around our child. She is the main cast, while we are the supporting actors in the house. We are learning how to be parents. Soha is doing a lot more than I do in Inaaya’s life. She is doing all the hard stuff and I don’t have any complaints regarding that (laughs!).

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; December 8, 2018)

Kunal Kemmu was all set to make his TV debut with the weekend comedy show Kanpur Wale Khuranas. He had even started attending workshops for it and shot a promo that went on air. However, at the last moment, he opted out of it owing to date issues. The Golmaal Again actor, who will be seen next in Karan Johar’s multi-starrer Kalank, has to start filming for the climax scenes in Hyderabad’s Ramoji City from the 14th of this month, while the TV show, for which shooting has already commenced, is slated to go on air on December 15. We spoke to Kunal about what prompted his decision and his take on comedy films. Excerpts...

You were geared up for your debut TV show and had even shot a promo for it. Why did you opt out of it?
There were a lot of things happening even while I was getting into it. I knew that the dates for Kalank’s climax shoot might be around the same time as it was planned. There are a lot of actors involved in the scene, so that couldn’t be shifted. I also realised that television has a fixed schedule and unfortunately, we couldn’t work around the dates. I am shooting for Kalank from December 14 till the end of this month. I’m happy the makers found Aparshakti (Khurana) to host the programme. I’ve known Preeti and Neeti Simoes (producers of the show) for a long time and they suggested we should do something together, but TV is a big commitment for me. This limited edition series of 16 episodes was perfect, but it eventually didn’t work out. We are still hoping we can find something in the future. I wish everyone involved with the show the very best and look forward to watching it soon.

When you eventually make your TV debut, will it be with a comedy show?
I can’t say that, but I like this whole format where you get to improvise, so I still maintain that something like this will interest me.

After starting off with films like Kalyug and Zakhm, you are now firmly entrenched in comedies... 
I love comedies. It’s just that I am generally shy when I meet people for the first time. But once the ice is broken, I am known to be a lot of fun. Yes, after doing serious cinema like Zakhm (1998), Kalyug (2005) and Traffic Signal (2007), filmmakers weren’t sure if I would be good at comedy. Even when I did the ensemble movie Dhol (2007), the makers were wondering why I wanted to explore this genre! But if you remember at the age of eight, I did Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), which was a funny film. After Dhol, I went on to do movies like 99 (2009), Go Goa Gone (2013) and the Golmaal series where people saw the fun side to me... to the extent that most of the time I am doing comedy now.

Does that mean your forthcoming movies also are comedies?
No, now there are a couple of films that are quite different. I can’t talk much about my part in Kalank. All I can tell you is that I am playing a character that nobody has seen me do before, or since Kalyug happened. There’s another film, which will mark the debut of an ad filmmaker. It’s a dark comedy and has a different way of storytelling. I am excited about that as you will see interesting actors coming together in it.

When do you start shooting for Go Goa Gone 2? 
The scripting is in process right now and the idea is to start in March if everything works out correctly. This film is close to my heart as it was with Go Goa Gone that I learnt how to be a writer (I had penned its dialogues). The movie was with Raj (Nidimoru), (Krishna) DK and me for a long time when we were in the process of putting it together, and finding somebody who will make it. Initially, nobody thought we would do a zombie film and a different kind of comedy, but it was well-received. We had taken three months off for writing it. Now, that the characters are established, there will be something newer in the story, but this time I’m not part of the scripting process.

The movies you are doing now are all multi-starrers...
Firstly, you never go into a film thinking whether you will be playing a solo lead or will it be a multi-starrer. From the business perspective, it makes it easier to do a multi-starrer because the stress of ‘Will this do well at the box office or not’ is shared with everybody and not one person, whether it is a hit or a flop. Apart from that, it’s the story that you enjoy. Golmaal will never work with one hero, so you can’t say, ‘I won’t do it if it’s not a solo lead’.

Despite so many good actors in Bollywood, there aren’t many comedy films that are made in here...
True. Comedies are a tougher genre to work in. A joke can either make you laugh or it can’t. It’s a lot about action and reaction, you always don’t need to say something funny. India has so many different cultures and comedy translates differently everywhere. There is English humour that does not translate so well to Hindi-speaking audience and vice versa. It’s difficult to make a film that is funny for everybody. There is a massy kind of humour as opposed to the niche humour. People are scared to experiment with it. For example, despite being funny, Go Goa Gone did really well only in metros, but not in the interiors. There was a feeling that this might be the case because the humour was slightly more English, and the audience there would be alien to this kind of a zombie film. But over the years, when the movie was shown on satellite TV, it was accepted by everybody. Now, when we talk about the sequel, there is pan-India anticipation about it, not just from the metros. Comedy is still being explored in India. I think there is an attempt in making such films because they are doing well. But, then again not all comedies are great. Some work, some don’t. Sometimes on the set when we are doing a scene, it seems very funny but when it is edited and put it out there, it is not so funny. Comedy is actually a serious and tricky business.

Jasbir Jassi is a man on a mission. He talks about not making compromises in his music
Bryan Durham (BOMBAY TIMES; February 7, 2014)

Jasbir Jassi has been making music for years now. The Punjabi pop singer has seen it all in the genre. Here, the Dil Le Gayi singer, tells us about his albums, he discusses the current state of Punjabi music and is bullish about not making compromises or going with the herd mentality when it comes to creating new music.
 
Tell us about your latest album Dhol...
I put it together, partly to create something in the Punjabi folk style. In the title song, the Punjabi dhol is quite prominent, hence the song. The other reason I created this music is for my friend Sarina Jain, the creator of the Masala Bhangra workout. I was making a few tracks for her and Dhol is one of them. She features in the music video as well. We’re not feeding the Italians pizza here, we’re feeding them makke di roti aur sarso ka saag. That’s kind of the theme.
 
It’s a five-track album!
I actually had about 20 songs ready for Sarina’s show.I had made up my mind to release the album on Lohri. But given my perfectionist streak, I’d like to give every song my best or not put it out at all. That was all we could get ready in that time. We spent a lot of time mixing and mastering the title song.We had been trying to get time with a prominent sound engineer to correct that, but it didn’t work out because of dates. Finally, we requested KJ Singh, a sound designer who works with AR Rahman to come on board. The thing is, he doesn’t do this type of song. He took his time mixing it. When it came to mastering, we couldn’t agree when he kept adjusting the bass guitar or drums. We clarified that we were looking for an intrinsically Punjabi flavour to a song we were trying to promote internationally and we wanted him to play up a specific dhol kick effect.That’s what took us time.
 
Wasn’t this album a big risk?
This was a big risk as nobody wants to pick up anything but Bollywood these days. We had no idea if something like this would work.In any case, music companies and radio stations weren’t playing our stuff.A prominent music label, who was to release my album, told me to do something like what Honey Singh was dishing out, or something ‘Bollywood’. I absolutely don’t want to go there. And if I do go Bollywood, I want to do so on my own terms. If this hadn’t worked, I’d have been in a soup. Now that it has, I can rest easy. When Laung Da Lashkara came out a few years ago and did quite well, that’s when I realised I was headed in the ‘Bollywood’ direction. My main mission is to promote the purity of Punjabi music and I didn’t want to veer from that. I was returning from Punjab when I realised that at every wedding or every event they were playing my song. I had no expectation it would do that well.A lot of channels and radio stations have now picked it up.
 
And you’re not cool with that.
These are dangerous times for music. See the state of music these days. People like Gulzar sahab have had to write rap for someone like Yo Yo Honey Singh. Isse bura time toh music ka ho hi nahi sakta hai. Bahut bade khatre ki baat hai.
 
So there are certain things you won’t do to make a song or album work?
A song’s/album’s success doesn’t affect me. If it does well, fine. I don’t get disappointed and instead, start working on the next track. I was afraid how it would release. I don’t do rap, I don’t do bad words. Take for example Boss’ Party All Night. It had such dirty words. A prominent music company told me to give them something like that — that would work nationally and with the youth. I told them meri graceful music karne ki umar hai, woh wali umar nahi ke main aapko kuch chichorapan kar ke de doon.
 
The young aren’t into ‘graceful’ melodies. What does that say about us as an audience?
We are trying. The young don’t understand what they ought to listen. One thing that’s good about bad music that you eventually begin appreciating and promoting good music. A lot of poeple are working towards rectifying this. We’ve slowly stopped being slaves to music labels. I’ve released my album on my own. Ab apni marzi se music karenge!
 
Your take on the current state of Punjabi music.
The sensible and established artistes have been quite for the last four years. You go to a menu and obviously order only what’s on the menu. A lot of people weren’t ready with the music and now they are. In a year and a half, we’ll have globally popular authentic Punjabi music.
 
You’ve performed live internationally. What are the most requested songs?
I remember, at Cannes, the people there may not understand the language but enjoyed anything by Baba Bulley Shah or Amir Khusro saab. Sufi music is more favoured internationally.
 
You don’t do too many collaborations.
You’re right. I don't do too many. I did one with Ehsaan that was very well-received (Subhan Allah). For my album, Jassi-Back With A Bang for Times Music, I collaborated with a very big Grammy-winning music producer named Jeff Bhasker. I personally feel Punjabi is the one language that blends easily with everything from R&B to hip-hop, house and jazz. Now that you mentioned it, I must work on a collaboration, soon!