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!).

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 16, 2019)

A lot has happened in Ssmilly Suri’s life over the past three years. The Kalyug actress, who married choreographer Vineet Bangera in 2014, separated from him in 2016. And last month, their divorce came through. While it has been a tough phase, Ssmilly believes that the best is yet to come. She is in a happier space now, and wants to start afresh, both personally and professionally.

Recalling her troubled married life, she tells BT, “Vineet was my Salsa teacher, and it’s easy to fall in love with your mentor, especially in a dance form, which is all about proximity. We connected over our passion for dance and mistook it for love. We realised that our decision was wrong only after marriage and staying under the same roof — our backgrounds and approach towards life was different. I tried my best to make the marriage work, but in vain. My family, too, including my brother Mohit (Suri), cousin Emraan (Hashmi), his wife Parveen and my aunt Kumkum Saigal, tried their best to mediate, only to realise that the cracks were too deep. When every attempt failed, they gave me the strength to face those trying times. Vineet left me in December, 2016 and never came back. I guess he realised before me that our marriage wasn’t working.”

She adds, “After that day when he left me, I met him directly on the day I acquired the divorce decree. We didn’t speak to each other, but I wish him well. I hope that we bury our differences some day and dance together again. I want to be friends with him now.”

The divorce hasn’t left Ssmilly bitter. She shares, “I still believe in love and would like to tie the knot again. A failed marriage can’t shake my faith in the institution. Today, no relationship comes with a guarantee card. In fact, I am grateful to Vineet for taking me through this journey. During our separation, I developed anxiety issues, had nervous breakdowns and battled weight issues. But today, I feel liberated and am a new person. I just needed to rest my mind and learn to enjoy my own company. Now, I am concentrating on myself.”

It’s pole dancing that came to her rescue when she hit an all-time low in her life. “Pole dancing helped me come to terms with my complexes, regain confidence and love myself,” she explains.

Ssmilly, who is a pole dancer and trainer now, also wants to give her acting career another chance. She agrees that despite a hit in Kalyug (2005), she failed to cash in on its success. “Back then, Kalyug was considered to be a bold project, and a lot of actresses had rejected it. I auditioned for the role and bagged it. I didn’t go on knocking on my brother’s (Mohit Suri) door for work. I agree that I didn’t market myself — I wasn’t pushy or greedy. While people question my weight today, I was asked to get fillers done under my eyes and go for breast enhancement, as I was reed-thin back then. However, I didn’t let anything deter me then, and nor do I let it affect me today. Size zero will always be in, but I want to celebrate my curves as a woman now,” she signs off.

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.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; December 5, 2018)

She’s taking her first step onto the silver screen this Friday. She sparked conversations with the media just a few weeks ago, and yet, when Sara Ali Khan claims that she has no wisdom or experience, it’s hard to believe. At 25, Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan’s gorgeous daughter, Sara, charms you with her candour and confidence. Chatting with her is a smooth drive, no speed-breaks or jerky halts. She is suave, sassy and seems sorted. Ask her about anything — from her modern family, liberal upbringing to Indian history and movies — she’s on a roll, unstoppable. She’s been romancing the cameras (read: paps) for a while now, and she’s one of their hot favs, but she honestly admits that, “People have been more gracious and loving with me than I deserve. I hope it is not short-lived.” With her debut film, Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath, releasing this week, followed by Rohit Shetty’s Simmba in a few weeks, the actress says that this is what she dreamed of all her life. Well, it appears that if the only way to get there is to climb a mountain, Sara undoubtedly will. Excerpts from a conversation with this debutante, whose energy is uncontainable. Read on…

In your first official interaction with the media (at the Kedarnath trailer launch), you thanked the press for being warm and accepting. Until the film promotions started, your media interactions were mostly about posing for the paps. But now, once you are out there on the big screen, you will be looked upon as an actress, and judged on various other parameters. In the creative field, it’s necessary to be open to criticism. How ready are you for that?
In the profession that I have chosen, I can’t ask for half of your cup of tea and half of mine. It will leave a bad taste. I have to be willing to accept the whole package that comes with being a movie actor. The media has shown me love and acceptance. Even with the way you gave me a hug now, there is a sense of warmth, and I appreciate that. The flip side to all this is the scrutiny that will follow. That’s okay, as I signed up to be a public figure.

Honestly, I know a lot of people in this industry who say, ‘Oh God, this is too much’. But I can give it to you in writing that the minute the media stops following these people, they are not going to like it. To some degree, we need that validation, too. I am not saying that it needs to be constant; we do need a break at times, but I know that we are all doing our jobs — the media is doing what they are supposed to do, and we are doing what we should be doing. If it all comes together, it is great.

You are building your own one-on-one equation with the media folks now; understanding and becoming aware of this world is also part of your learning process. How has it been so far?
There have been two instances where they (paps) thought that I wasn’t very polite. I hid my face and said, ‘Kya kar rahe ho aap?’ Look, I am also a normal girl, I had a pimple and I was bloated, so I didn’t want to be clicked. But then, I understand that they have waited below the gym for 45 minutes, so it is fine if I am a little bloated. I tell myself that hopefully, I will look a little better the next time. Apart from that, not a single person from the media has given me a bad vibe yet. People have been more gracious and loving with me than I deserve. I hope it is not short-lived (laughs!). Abhi 7 December (Kedarnath’s release) ke baad is when it all matters.

Can you recount your first day on the set as an actress and your first shot?
I can’t ever forget that. It was freezing (in Uttarakhand) and our roll time was 7 pm. The crew was dressed in thermals and heavy jackets, while I was wearing a salwar kameez. We were shooting a scene in the rain and Gattu sir (Abhishek Kapoor) asked me if I was feeling too cold. I obviously was, so he said, ‘Then, don’t act. That’s the look, that’s the camera, I am calling for action’. That was my first shot… looking into the camera while I was shivering. Over the days, I got used to shooting in the cold. I think whether it is shooting a song with high heels or doing a scene where you are taking Ganga dubkis, between action and cut, you forget what you are personally feeling. Only when sir would say pack up, it would all hit me. Suddenly, I couldn’t talk (owing to the cold) and Jharna (my spot girl) would say, ‘Paanch minute pehle toh aap theek thi, ab kya hua?’ On the set, you are not you, the bare minimum that is expected from an actor is to do complete justice to the character he/she is playing. That means, what you are feeling at that point, does not hold. After a point, when I was on set, the cold, my hunger or comfort was not in my scheme of things.



How much of your time in your growing-up years and later on, did you spend on film sets with your parents?
I have been on the set of Kalyug (2005) once, and I remember that I was messing around with my mom’s hairdresser. I have been on the Love Aaj Kal (2009) set, too, where I hung out with Deepika (Padukone) and Anaita Shroff Adajania. Believe it or not, that’s it. The first active memory of being on a film set was watching Sushant Singh Rajput shoot on day one of the Kedarnath schedule. Seeing him doing the same thing again and again (there is a close shot, wide shot, master shot and more), I was like… ‘Oh, aise hota hai? Iss liye toh alag alag dikhta hai.’ It was really like that.

You have spoken about the time in your life, when you were overweight, but even back then, you were confident about being a leading heroine?
I don’t think I have ever been self-conscious. I did have a weight issue and I am not saying that I was the healthiest girl in the world. I made it worse with all the pizzas and the chocolates. I have PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), and it can get tricky to deal with, because it is not just about the body feeling bloated, or the acne and weight, it’s the hormonal imbalance that triggers other symptoms. You tend to feel very low, and at that age, it affects you even more. I have dreamt of being an actor since I was four, but then, I was also academically inclined. Subsequently, I went and pursued higher studies. When I was studying at Columbia University (in the US), I was dealing with PCOD and I was overweight. So, at some point, I did think if this (acting) is really for me. But before the thought could go any further, I was like, ‘No! I can’t do this to myself. I have to at least try. I don’t want to live my life thinking… what if ?’ I was committed to doing what I really wanted to do, and I lost about 40 kilos in a year-and-ahalf.

You have clearly had two diametrically different life experiences. One, where you were living in America as a student. The other, where you are pursuing a career as an actress. Was it tougher for the star-kid to live independently far away from home, or was it harder coming back to work in the film industry?
Honestly, the whiplash wasn’t the star-kid going to America; the whiplash was the student from America coming back here. I have never grown up as a star-kid. I lived with a single mom who had stopped doing mainstream lead roles in films before I was born. And it has been about 13 years since I have been living with just her. Though I am very close to my father, I have not seen the day in and day out of stardom. In fact, even my father, who is working as we speak, has never been much into filmi parties and gatherings. My closest friends are not from the film industry. The people with whom I have had the longest conversation on movies are Abhishek Kapoor and Sushant. While growing up, I was divorced from the film fraternity and the concept of stardom. Of course, anyone from the industry just has to see my face and know that it is Amrita Singh sitting in front of them, but I don’t have that familiarity and connect with most people, as I was never given that opportunity.

Aren’t you glad that you had a chance to live with some sense of normalcy, before walking into the world of media frenzy and public scrutiny?
Yes, I am so glad. Whether it is being on a film set or going to a party, these places are as much fun if you deserve to be there, and as boring and uncomfortable if you don’t. I am comfortable when I know what I am doing. Like, I am comfortable sitting here and talking to you, because this is what we are meant to do now. There is that dichotomy. When I meet people who know me, I always think, ‘Kitna kahe, kitna nahi kahe?’ My parents have strived day in and out to ensure that I have a normal life. My first branded bag was given to me at the age of 18. The next one was at 20. Till date, I have more jootis and bangles in my wardrobe than anything else. My most expensive pair of jeans is not from a very high-end brand. I’m not lying about this. That is the way it has always been. Maybe one day, I will wear more expensive jeans, but I have to earn it for myself.

When you first shared serious plans of being an actor, and discussed it with your parents, what was their reaction?
Well, it was like saying that the sky is blue. They knew it before I knew it.

But well, it is different harbouring this childhood dream, and then growing up and saying, ‘Yes, this is what I want to do’, and then actually taking the challenge head-on...
It is different, especially when the child weighs 96 kilos. I was a large adult with large dreams (laughs!). My parents didn’t try to dissuade me, but they made sure that I had a balanced perspective on what being an actor entails, so that I am prepared for it. When people ask me if I am ready for this, I say that I don’t think that you can ever be ready to be an actor, and you can’t even not be ready for it. It’s one of those things where you just have to tell yourself, ‘Go for it!’ Every film and every situation is different, so somewhere in the middle of being ready and not being ready to be an actor is where I am going to be for the rest of my life.

How influenced are you by your parents’ body of work?
I am quite influenced by their work. I think that they are both very good at their work. I think mom is an extremely spontaneous and bindaas actress. I think the innate suave that my father has (sorry to sound biased), I haven’t really seen that in anyone else. I am not talking about just acting, as we have seen very good actors, maybe better or worse, but the suave, confidence and the finesse that my father has, is incomparable.

From what it appears, your upbringing has been very liberal, and the relationship that you share with your mom and dad is frank, friendly and very honest. Tell us about it...
Mom and I live together, so we talk about everything. I have never held a boy’s hand without my mom knowing about it. I don’t think that I have ever gone out and then lied about it after coming home. My mom is my best friend. Well, boyfriend toh ek hi hua hai bahut hi pehle, lekin haan, there is nothing that I wouldn’t tell my mom. I believe that nobody in the world will have your better interest at heart than your mom. I am lucky to have her in my life. So, whether it is career, fashion or boy advice, I will be an idiot to not be 500% transparent with her.

And your dad?
My father often says that we are friends. I don’t like saying that, because he can’t be my friend, as there is way too much respect and adulation in our equation. He’s my friend, plus all that. I am extremely close to him and comfortable with him, but because he is my father, chances are that I won’t tell him, ‘Arrey yaar, woh ladka phone hi nahin kar raha hai’. We are open about all other conversations. I was a tad bit more scared of mom while growing up, also, because I live with her, she had to be the disciplinarian. Even now, I am scared of her, but the shape of fear has changed. At 16, I was scared that my mom would shout at me if I went home late, but now, it’s the eternal fear of disappointing her. She is my whole world. Both mom and dad have given me everything that I could have dreamt of, so I don’t want to disappoint them.

Your parents separated when you were quite young, and like you said earlier, you have been living with your mom since then. Did your dad take a lot of effort to make up for lost time with you (considering the fact that he didn’t live with you for most part of your life)?
I don’t think that he had to make up for it, as it’s the predicament that we live in. My mom has been rock solid, but she also has every day to prove that she is rock solid. My dad has also been rock solid, without having every day to prove it. To be able to be a very good father, without living with me… I think it deserves appreciation. He didn’t ever make me feel that he is not around all the time, and I think that he deserves 500 points for that.

Who is the most nervous about your debut - mom, dad or you?
I am the most nervous. When you love something so closely, the nervousness, anxiety and fear just come with it. This is my dream, and every single day spent on set, makes me want this dream more than ever before. It is growing on me; and every interview I do and every picture that I click makes me want this more. So of course, there is nervousness and fear, and I hope all of you will want me as much. Honestly, I don’t have experience or wisdom, or the craft (as I am honing it). Right now, what I have is gut and heart. The minute a script appeals to me, I will do it. I did Simmba with equal passion that I did Kedarnath. In the years to come, if I am given the opportunity, I will continue doing films with the same enthusiasm. But your first will always be your first. The first time you read a script, the first time you faced the camera, the first time you even gave an interview to Bombay Times. For me, all this is a big deal and I don’t want the feeling to end. I am loving this moment and I just don’t want it to end.

This industry is known for its diplomacy and political correctness. On the other hand, you display a natural candour and candidness. It is refreshing. Does the ability to engage in frank talk come from your father?
Dad and I are aware that acting is our job. We know that if we are going to be doing only that on a personal basis every day, it will get exhausting. And we also know that we tend to get a little lazy sometimes. So, someday soon, when we get lazy and stop pretending, you will catch us. So, it is better that you know us for who we are today, than wait for it to happen later. I don’t give correct answers, as I don’t think I know them. In 20 minutes, I will come up with some rubbish, so I might as well say it right away with honesty. Main spontaneously bakwaas hi karoongi. And spontaneous bakwaas is better than rehearsed bakwaas (laughs!).

Well, I am hoping that we continue seeing these traits in you even after several films?
I hope there is a third movie, ya. Picture abhi baki hai. Insha Allah, there will be!

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 17, 2018)

Four years after the success of Mohit Suri’s Ek Villain that featured Sidharth Malhotra, there has been renewed interest in the film. While certain reports stated that Malhotra is reuniting with producer Ekta Kapoor for the sequel, there has also been buzz that Suri has already scripted the second instalment with Aditya Roy Kapur in mind. Though Malhotra quashed reports of revisiting the 2013 hit, neither Suri nor Kapur had clarified their stance.

Talking to mid-day, Suri finally opened up on his next that sees him reuniting with his Aashiqui 9 star. “Yes, I am working with Aditya. It will be a thriller,” he said, pointing out that he is most comfortable with the genre. “My earlier films like Murder 2 (2011) and Kalyug (2005) were also in the same genre.”

However, he dismissed rumours of them developing Ek Villain 2 as he quipped, “I’ve heard that I am making Ek Villain 2 and that I already have a bound script which has been given to Aditya. But nothing like that is happening. Ek Villain is a Balaji Telefilms property and they haven’t approached me yet.”