For Rick Roy, styling VIBE was less about making Kunal Kemmu and the rest of the cast look fashionable and more about creating a visual language for a world that is deliberately loud, quirky and slightly offbeat. The costume designer says the film’s aesthetic immediately clicked with his own sensibilities, making the collaboration with Kunal, who directs and stars in the comedy, particularly enjoyable.

“When I first met Kunal for it and the brief that he gave me and all the stuff that he was saying is something that I really love creating because street style, strong elements, slightly loud in terms of the clothes and bigger statement things, these are things that I love in my personal style as well. So when I got a brief for that character in his film, I was like, this is so me, I really, really want to do this film,” says Roy.

The idea was to build a highly stylized comedy without making the costumes feel disconnected from the characters. “It’s a really funny film and I have done a full-on comedy for a bit and also a very high-stylized comedy, I have to say, because the way it’s shot, the way the colour schemes are and everything, basically Kunal is very high style and I absolutely love that. For me, cinema needs to always be aesthetic. Even if you’re making the world in any kind of strata of society, I feel that cinematically it just needs to be beautiful because I’m a student of cinema. When I go to watch a movie, I just want to go to a different world that the director has created, and that’s what I think Kunal had managed to create for this film. I always try to create costume and create looks. Even if it’s a simple look, I always try to add an element of my own rather than it being a purchased piece directly. You look at the characters and when you see the film you’ll know that all the characters’ clothes are clothes that that character will wear. But when you actually look into it, you will see there are so many different elements that we have put into each outfit.”

One of the most striking examples of that approach is Kunal’s now-discussed orange fur coat. In fact, Roy had made the coat himself during a trip to London and, despite the team already having another look planned for the scene, had a strong instinct that it belonged in VIBE.

“It is my personal fur coat, I have to say. So I made that when I was in London. For my London trip, I made that myself and when we were discussing the film there was a scene when, you see the film, you’ll know where he narrated the scene and in my head I don’t know why I just told him, ‘Listen, I have the perfect outfit for it.’ And we had a completely different look for that scene made, discussed and all that stuff. But I don’t know why I was very, very sure that this is the outfit for that scene. There is nobody in the world who will wear that orange fur coat and sit and do the stuff that he has done in the film. When I brought it out he was laughing, he’s like, ‘Rick, what the f**k are you doing?’ I was like, ‘Kunal, just wear it. I’m telling you this will be iconic.’ And he started laughing like, ‘Okay, I’ll try it on for you.’ Then he wore it and then he was so excited. Then he was like, ‘Okay, you know what, you’re right, this actually makes sense. Let’s put it in the scene.’”

Roy says the actor-director was willing to experiment. For a designer who likes to alter and build on clothes, that made the collaboration particularly productive.

“I have rarely worked with directors who are as open to experimenting with looks as he is, as a director as well as an actor. That combo was fantastic. I would literally give him an outfit, I will see it on him and that’s who I am. I love changing things, adding things. I’ll tell him, ‘Will you give me 10 minutes? I want to do something to it.’ And he would laugh, he’d give it to me and I will do anything to that outfit and come back and he will just wear it.”

Roy sees that character-first approach as increasingly important at a time when, according to him, film fashion can sometimes lean heavily on existing trends.

“When you are trying to make a person look good, it’s a completely different kind of a mind space from when you’re trying to create a trend via a character of that film. The designers from all these films, your Manish Malhotra, your Neeta Lulla and all, they were not referencing styles. They were trying to create style. Nowadays I think most stylists are only trying to reference style and replicate that. I still try to do the old-school way because I’m a designer and I’m trained. It needs to be specific to that film. So when people go back to the film they will be like, ‘Oh, this outfit is from that film,’ which used to happen before and now recently it’s not because everybody is wearing everything and they all look the same eventually.”

Roy had a fanboy moment while working with Sharmila Tagore, who has a cameo in ‘Vibe’. He shared, “Sharmila ji was delightful. She is so beautiful and well-spoken. I spoke to her in Bengali, and she was so excited. I truly had a fan moment.”

Eight years away from the big screen, and Preity Zinta is back — with her spark firmly intact. From the recently released Batwara 1947 to the upcoming action-comedy, Vibe directed by Kunal Kemmu, she’s stepping into this new chapter with the same warmth and infectious energy that have made her a fan favourite. When she walked onto the Bombay Times Lounge set, she brought the buzz with her — and her fans lapped it up. Here are excerpts from our chat with her. And yes, the vibe was chilled-out, chatty and very, very PZ!

When I was acting, everything was about me. The whole focus was me. Then I stepped into cricket (owning an IPL team) and learned that it didn’t matter what I was doing, the focus was the game. I’ve been through phases of my life where I’ve gone out, worked very hard for 18-hours a day. When you are 20, you are fine doing that. Now as a homemaker, it’s about focusing on the personal side of my life, where you are not the centre of the universe, your kids are. It’s a lot of work but a lot of joy, too.

I always knew that films were a part of my life, but it wasn’t just that. Also, I think it comes from being a fauji kid. I never grew up thinking movies could be a career. I wanted to study criminal psychology and be a detective. I accidentally got into this industry, and it was more about survival, because I ran away from home and ended up here.

Kunal is very good with comedy. It was a very tough shoot, as we were shooting for 16-17-hour days. I was okay with it because I wanted to finish all my work and go back home to my kids. My first thought when I read the script was, I wanted to do action; the film had that and it is also a funny film. It is actually quite a mad film with a fresh take on spy thrillers. Everyone’s doing these spy thrillers, and this had a little twist to it and a different vibe. So, I said, let’s give it a shot.

Absolutely! Earlier, whatever role you were doing, it was always in shades of white. There was no grey. The hero and heroine were only doing good things. The villain or the other character was only dark. There was nothing in between. Today, that has changed. But even then, people sometimes want to humanize the character and ask, ‘Why was this character like that?’ The hero can still jump out of the eighth floor, give five kicks, kill 10 people and come back and save you and we love that too. But there are also other kinds of films being made.

Yes, it is like in school if you got bullied, you got bullied by 20 people. Today, you’re getting bullied by 20 million people (on social media). Everybody is saying something. So, when I’m back home in America, I post on social media during the IPL, and then I disappear. You don’t just look at the nice comments; you tend to look at the negative comments, too. I don’t want my mental health to be affected by it. There are days when you’re really happy and you’re like…nothing can come in my way. Then there are days when it hits you. Today, everything is online and they’ll never let you forget anything, which is sad, especially for the younger generation. You know, the beauty of youth is that you can make mistakes and learn from them. But this makes it so much harder for them.

I would make the same mistakes in the same way. I believe that life is a chain reaction. If I changed something from my past, then I wouldn’t be here. All that has happened so far had to happen for me to be here. The only thing, if I had to look back and alter, would be losing my dad when I was 14. I wouldn’t want that to happen. But again, if that wouldn’t have happened, I don’t think I would have been an actor.

Well, they’ve travelled to India. I don’t like them being photographed here, and when I get photographed, my daughter gets a little upset and asks, “Why does that person want a picture with you?” A few times, when she has wanted to come with me in the picture, I told her no, and she got a little upset. Hence, I try to find a balance. They haven’t seen any of my movies, and I don’t think I would want them to, because I’m always with another actor, and I think it will be devastating for them at this point to see me with another male on screen.

It’s easy to judge people and I do feel the world has become very superficial. Today, when newcomers come, I feel bad for them because everyone is told they can buy followers and comments. The paparazzi is called and told, “I will be here”, and then there is your red-carpet look, airport look and whatever else. I’m not judging anyone. When I came here from Himachal Pradesh, I knew nothing. Yes, there were film families and their children, but at least it was a level playing ground. Today, you’re telling a new kid to buy likes, comments and followers. For those reasons, I feel really bad for the new generation that’s coming in. If I was starting off today, I think it would have been a much tougher zone.

It’s been three decades of Saif Ali Khan — from the charming young star of the ’90s to one of Hindi cinema’s most instinctive and versatile actors. This year, the actor has much to celebrate — Dil Chahta Hai turns 25, Omkara completes 20, and Saif reunites with Akshay Kumar after more than two decades in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan, which releases on September 11. At 56, there’s plenty to look back on — and Saif has plenty to say. Our guest on the JBL Live Headphones presents Bombay Times Lounge brings his trademark wit, candour and perspective to a conversation spanning films, fame, family and everything in between. Excerpts from the conversation.

I think I’ve always felt very comfortable here and felt that these are my people. I had a very academic kind of exposure when I was young. My parents sent me to a brilliant school, and they had a very academic career in mind for me. But I felt a little bit strangled by the idea of sitting behind the desk for so long, even though now I love it and I love reading, and I’m trying to reconnect. But deep down, I also realized I belong to a world like this and feel at home here. I don’t know exactly when I started enjoying it so much. I used to hear international actors talk about things like craft, technique and form and I had no idea about it. So, I read a few books, and they spoke to me. I understood what they were saying, and I tried to apply some of it. And some of it worked out quite well. This is such a remarkable profession; the learning is endless. Every now and then, you break a little door open and enter a room. And you’re like, wow, this is possible.

I was very young when I started out. I was about 21 and slightly effeminate with long hair. I wasn’t really an alpha male, macho kind of guy. So, it took a while for me to find a place, but the obvious place was a kind of sweet, chocolatey kind of guy. I enjoyed it very much…it’s nice to make people smile and have a happy energy around me. And you shouldn’t take that for granted, because ultimately, people talk about acting and all that, but the audience has to like you. It’s luck and their acceptance. When I see those old films of mine, I feel happy because I believe I was really honest in them. I think I became a bit grumpy later.

Well, it was great working with him again, though the intention of the movie was not to bring us back together. It was a role that Priyan sir (Priyadarshan) was finding hard to cast. He had asked a couple of people. I had confirmed my part, but they needed this dangerous villain. When he narrated it to Akshay, he asked, “Can I do it? I really want to have fun and play a bad guy.” Both Priyan sir and I couldn’t believe it. So, Haiwaan wasn’t designed for Akshay and me. It’s a bonus that we share good chemistry, but the film doesn’t rely on that. In fact, we have very few scenes together.

Yes, I was cute and funny, and I think that worked then. Mahesh Bhatt in those days would say, “Together you two make a super person.” I think that is how different body types and different energies mix together. So, there’s a reason why Akshay and I delivered successful films together. I am kicked about finally getting a chance to play a hero in a film with him.

That’s a coincidence and quite interesting. I don’t know how honest I can be. I can give you an anodyne answer and tell you all films should do well, and everyone is so talented. But the actual truth is…everyone’s film should do well, but mine should do slightly better. You know, blood is thicker than water and films are thicker than blood (laughs). All the films are a little different, so let’s hope all of them do well. Kunal is very talented; I loved his trailer. Actually, I only want my wife’s films to run and be super successful. She’s such an amazing actress. A happy wife is the best situation for me, always (laughs). And I believe, in the past two films have run at the same time and done well.

We’ve dealt with it remarkably well. I think the person who got most affected was my wife, who is a very sensitive person. It was insane, and I’m still not 100% over it. Even now, if I see a knife, I react. I start thinking about the incident and then, I feel incredibly lucky to have survived it. I can’t believe how lucky I was, because the knife broke. It was the worst knife in the history of knife attacks (laughs!). We’re laughing now, but if he really had a proper Rambo knife, I’d be dead. I was cut everywhere and it didn’t kill me, which is why I can’t get over how lucky I got. But there’s another side to this, which I understand, and I’m not just saying this because I am on camera. I mean, these things happen because of inequality, right? And because someone is looking for money and looking out for himself. I would happily forgive this person also. I don’t think he knew where he was or what he was doing. And if he had known, then it wouldn’t have happened. It was a very unfortunate incident, where I got very lucky and he got unlucky because I think he’s in a lot of trouble.

I remember lying in hospital thinking, what I really want to do is have a glass of very good wine with some of my good friends. And that is actually all that matters. Of course, good work matters and these things feel great. But I want to be present and enjoy my life. It would be okay if my life had ended because there was also that feeling. There’s a lot of adrenaline rush at that moment which can, in a way, make you happy. There was a feeling when I was covered in blood… that it’s been a great life and I have had a blast. I just remember thinking that.

Yes, yes. I thought about how making Hum Tum was a blast. Travelling to America and doing those shows was the best career I could have. It’s all been great. My kids are amazing. I just want to hold someone’s hand and go. I was okay with that. But what I wasn’t okay with, I think, was to be paralysed. So yes, what has changed about my outlook is that I want to be more present.

Well, I would like to say what other people think. But I think I’d say, I would like to care less about competing. I think you’re always a little bit competitive, even though you try not to be or project that you’re not, but you end up being a little of that.

One would think that a trip to Goa — that involves dons, drugs, and death threats — would be a once-in-a-lifetime affair. But the mad trio of Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu, and Avinash Tiwary, who took the audience on a hilarious ride with Madgaon Express (2024), are ready for another round. Sources have told mid-day that director Kunal Kemmu will take Madgaon Express 2 on floors early next year. 

A source shared, “The three actors are kicked about returning to their much-loved characters. If things go as planned, the film will go on floors around February or March 2027. The pre-production is underway.” 

Kemmu, who wrote and helmed the 2024 surprise hit, has also penned the sequel. Word is that he locked the script a month ago.

According to an insider, Kemmu’s attempt is to organically create the world of Madgaon Express, with the lives of the three friends at the centre. “Kunal sees the sequel as a natural extension to the friendship and adventures of the trio,” said the source.

Kunal Kemmu’s ‘Vibe’, also starring Preity Zinta and Sparsh Shrivastava, will release on September 18. The film is led and helmed by Kemmu.

Twenty years is a long time to be away from a franchise you love. Naturally then, Sharman Joshi — who was part of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), which kicked off filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s comedy franchise — is itching to return to the world of Golmaal 5. “I’m likely to start working on it soon,” the actor told mid-day.

A lot has happened in the interim. Golmaal, led by Ajay Devgn, has had three instalments. Joshi wasn’t a part of them, with reports claiming that he had hiked his fees, which didn’t go down well with the producers. In several interviews, he claimed it was a miscommunication from his team that led to his ouster and he didn’t know until later.

Even as he has joined Golmaal 5 that will star Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arshad Warsi, Kunal Kemmu, Tusshar Kapoor, and Shreyas Talpade, he wished he hadn’t lost the years. “I missed Rohit’s energy on sets, Ajay sir’s intensity and calmness. I missed Tusshar too. Rohit’s entire team is warm and inclusive.”

The comic caper will go on floors in late February. While rumours are rife that Akshay Kumar will play the antagonist, Joshi is keen to explore his on-screen dynamics with Talpade and Kemmu. “I [had seen] Shreyas’s work during intercollegiate competitions as our colleges were next to each other. I’ve been his fan since Iqbal [2005]. Kunal and I will reunite after Dhol [2007].”

‘Rang De Basanti’ (2006) completed 20 years of release last month. Remembering it, the actor said, “Last week, I was listening to the album, and all the fond memories came rushing back. Working on it was a fabulous journey.”

Sharman Joshi denied being approached for the ‘3 Idiots’ sequel. “I’ve not been informed about it so far, but I hope it happens,” he said.

In January, reports emerged that filmmaker Shashank Khaitan — currently wrapping up the Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari — would make his OTT debut with Single Papa. Following Kunal Kemmu’s casting, sources now reveal that Neha Dhupia has joined the family entertainer, in a pivotal role.

A source close to the production reveals that the series is currently underway. “The show is in its final phase of shooting. Neha Dhupia has joined [the cast] to play one of the key leading parts in the show. The makers are [trying to] build a strong ensemble, bringing in actors with sharp comic timing. Neha brings both warmth and sharp wit to the table — qualities that perfectly complement Kunal’s energy,” shares the source.

The insider added that the dynamic between their characters forms the emotional and comic core of the show. “Shashank was clear he wanted an actor who could hold her own opposite Kunal. Their pairing brings a fresh spark to the screens,” expressed the source, adding that the slice-of-life entertainer will “most likely stream on Netflix.”

Soha Ali Khan and husband Kunal Kemmu welcomed their daughter Inaaya in 2017. Post that, she was focused on her personal life and raising her daughter, and was seen in a few projects like Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018) and in a couple of web shows last year. The actress and author says that now she’s ready to take up more acting assignments. In a conversation with us, Soha talks about her experience of working in a horror film and how she is glad that today there are more author-backed roles for actresses her age.

About her break and the kind of opportunities that are coming her way in this phase of her career, Soha says, “Today when I see good content that’s out there, I wish I could have been a part of some of it. Though there is great work, there’s a bit of a slowdown we are witnessing right now in the industry.”

Soha add, "Some corrections are happening. But overall, I am very excited by the fact that I am a woman in my 40s, who is being represented well on screen. I don’t feel any panic about the fact that there won’t be any work for me. There are a lot of roles for actresses my age and they are not clichéd ones, but meaty and author-backed roles.”

While she is longing to take up more acting projects, Soha is also focusing on her production venture with Kunal, which is a biopic on veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani. She shares, “I want to do a lot more work. It’s just that I have been really enjoying being a parent. Now Inaaya is six and she is very independent. I enjoyed my work-life balance, but now I want to focus more on ‘work’ in the work-life balance process. My plate is full with acting and production work. We were lucky to get the life rights of Ram Jethmalani. It’s exciting to research and weave it into some kind of cinematic form as he had a very long and colourful life.”

Soha recently shot for a horror film with Nushrratt Bharuccha, which is a sequel to the 2021 release Chhorii. The actress says, “This year you will see me in a horror film. The director and the producer came to me saying that I would fit the part of the antagonist (as an evil character) perfectly. I was surprised I could look scary on screen. I wasn’t too sure about the opportunity. I asked Kunal (Kemmu, her husband) and he said he could totally see me as the scary element in the horror movie, and so did my daughter (laughs)!”

About her experience shooting for a horror film, Soha shares, “I haven’t played an antagonist before. This is the first time I even wore prosthetics. Horror as a genre is tough as it can go either way. With horror and comedy, you either love it or hate it as there is no middle way.”

Soha’s nephew Ibrahim Ali Khan is set to make his debut as an actor. Talking about him, she says, “Ibrahim is good-looking and has a charming personality. But I have not seen his work as an actor. I think that he has great potential, and it is now for the director to bring out the best in him and obviously for Ibrahim to work hard. When it comes to the acting bug, I have seen it more in Sara (Ali Khan, her niece) while they were growing up. I think things changed after Ibrahim assisted on film sets. In terms of looks, Ibrahim is definitely the taller version of bhai (Saif).”

When we sit down for an interview with Pratik Gandhi for Do Aur Do Pyaar, it’s hard to not open our chat with the crackling Madgaon Express. The comedy is running in theatres weeks after its release, despite competition from recent offerings.

“It’s all Kunal [Kemmu],” says Gandhi, crediting the director for giving Bollywood a smartly written comedy. “I’ve always wanted to do good comedy. Physical humour is tricky, but you have to do it with people who understand it. Kunal knows all sub-genres of comedy, and he is brilliant at them.”

With Do Aur Do Pyaar, Gandhi is moving on to a different kind of comedy, rom-com. Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s directorial venture sees the actor and Vidya Balan play a couple whose marriage has long lost its spark. Gandhi says it is among the six releases he has lined up, and with each project, his attempt is to show his versatility.

“Scam 1992 [The Harshad Mehta Story, 2020] changed everything for me. In the last two-and-a-half years, I have shot non-stop. With the audience’s love, I am getting more confident about my work and my choices. Do Aur Do Pyaar is poles apart [from my last film]. My character is goofy, vulnerable, and avoids confrontations. In the first narration, I was surprised by the story—the characters are cheating [on their spouse] and then, they cheat on their lovers [with their spouse].”

Rom-coms are all about good chemistry. The script, he says, elevated his chemistry with Balan and Ileana D’Cruz. “We have no method to crack chemistry. We stayed true to the script and let the magic happen. We did a lot of reading, did the next day’s scenes before going home. That said, I don’t have a process. Art is not mathematics. I have to feel the emotions.”

For Hindi film fans, Shah Rukh Khan was the poster boy for romance. Even as he moved to age-appropriate roles, there remained a set image of a romantic hero—someone who is swoon-worthy enough to sweep women off their feet. That mould has broken in the past few years.

He shares, “The definition of a romantic hero has changed. He is not the guy with great physique and [bouncy] hair. A hero is anybody who can make you fall in love with the character and his emotions. I’m fortunate to be at the right place at the right time. People are now ready to see actors creating characters.”

At the end of Madgaon Express, director Kunal Kemmu hinted at a sequel. That was enough to pique curiosity among audiences who lapped up the buddy comedy starring Avinash Tiwary, Pratik Gandhi and Divyenndu. If the love and acclaim that the film has received is any indication, its second instalment will have takers among the audience. So, is a sequel in the offing?

Tiwary says, “We have discussed [the possibility of a sequel]. Kunal once mentioned that he had thought of an idea, but he said Ritesh [Sidhwani, producer] would tell us if we’ll do it or not. Now, Ritesh is saying, ‘Kunal will tell us whether he has written the script or not.’ But I know the intention was there. The audience’s reaction [is great]. I hope this love keeps growing and we have a chance to come back with a sequel,” he says.

Up next, Tiwary has the Prime Video film, The Mehta Boys, which marks Boman Irani’s directorial debut. The actor has bagged another project, one that he describes as his “biggest film” yet. The role has him excited and scared in equal measure.

“It’s one of the most difficult parts, physically and mentally, and I am petrified about how I’ll deal with it. It’s the biggest project that I have been a part of. I’m not in a position to reveal the project, although I want to shout from the rooftop,” he smiles.

Seeing oneself on the big screen is a feeling like no other. The last time Avinash Tiwary experienced it was in Laila Majnu (2018). It has taken him six years to replicate that feeling. But the wait has been worth it as his latest film, Madgaon Express, is being lapped up by the audience for its humour.

“When you are aspiring to be an actor, you only see yourself on the big screen. The fact that I got this opportunity six years down the line and it has been so well-received makes me so happy. I have got a lot of love and respect for my work, but the joy that people walked out with is something I’ve never experienced in my career,” smiles the actor.

In Kunal Kemmu’s directorial debut, Tiwary joins Divyenndu and Pratik Gandhi to tell the story of three friends whose dream trip to Goa becomes a nightmare. Comedy can be a tricky genre, but the actor says the entire team rallied behind Kemmu’s vision.

“When we did a narration session with Kunal, we fell off our chairs. But I also thought that Kunal is such a good performer that he can make any material funny. So, I insisted on reading the script. I was laughing even while reading it. That made me believe in the film’s potential. While we were performing, we weren’t sure if the jokes were landing or not. But we relied on Kunal, who had such clarity.”

Tiwary’s filmography has been populated with intense offerings like Bulbbul (2020), Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022) and Bambai Meri Jaan (2023). The out-and-out comedy felt liberating, he admits. 

“My idea has been to do different kinds of genres. I was happy that Kunal and Ritesh [Sidhwani, producer] were able to see my versatility and present me an opportunity where I could go and enjoy myself. It was liberating to do this. Until Madgaon Express happened, I was doing shows that needed me to breathe those characters every day. With Madgaon Express, my character was closer to how I am in real life. It’s always the case—people who do intense parts are considered serious actors. I haven’t cared much about labels because nobody wanted to put even the label of an actor on me. But I’ve been acting for so many years. Now, I want to do more light-hearted films.”

Madgaon Express has turned out to be the comedy we didn’t know we needed. The buddy comedy, which stars Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary, opened last week to unanimous praise from critics and audiences. And who’s grinning from ear to ear? Debutant director Kunal Kemmu. 

Tell him that the laugh riot has come at a time when Bollywood was witnessing a drought of well-made comedies, and he says,

“I would be speaking out of turn if I said that I wrote the film because comedies weren’t being made. The industry goes through fads. Right now, it’s action; tomorrow, horror might work. If Madgaon Express had released when there were four comedies behind me, people would say, ‘Why do we need one more?’ I am lucky to come at a time when there has been a dearth of comedies. I just wrote a film that made me happy. I would’ve made it whenever I got the opportunity. I’m happy that there has been an appetite for it because if I have cooked food, I want hungry people,” he laughs.

Even as the film that revolves around cocaine, crime and three clueless friends in Goa is being lapped up by the audience, the actor-turned-director has finished writing a couple of stories. It will only be a matter of time before he chooses which of them he wants to develop as his next.

Kemmu says, “Writing is a constant thing in my life. It is my therapy. I’ve written a couple of [stories] belonging to different genres; one of them is a comedy.”

What if Dil Chahta Hai’s (2001) Goa trip went wrong? From that thought was born Kunal Kemmu’s directorial debut, Madgaon Express. The comedy revolves around three friends whose trip to Goa leads to a series of misadventures. While Kemmu knew that Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani would be the best people to produce it, he didn’t have anyone in mind to direct it.

“I had written the film for myself to act in. But when I narrated it to Farhan, he suggested that I direct it,” he smiles, pleased at how direction happened to him accidentally.

Kemmu remembers starting work on the script in 2016, at a time when he wasn’t satisfied with the acting offers in hand. “I felt I wasn’t getting the opportunities I wanted. Do I want to crib about the opportunities that I don’t have, or work on creating opportunities? That’s how Madgaon Express happened.” He felt confident about screenwriting as he had previously written the Hindi dialogues for Raj-DK’s (Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK) Go Goa Gone (2013).

Madgaon Express stars Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary. While Divyenndu took over the role that Kemmu had written for himself, the filmmaker is happy about his decision to not star in his directorial debut. “It would have been too much to handle for my first film.”

Kemmu has been acting since the age of six. As he begins a new chapter in his career, he says he has been influenced by the directors with whom he worked on comedies. “I did Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke [1993] with Mahesh Bhatt, Dhol [2007] with Priyadarshan, Golmaal with Rohit Shetty, 99 [2009] and Go Goa Gone with Raj-DK. I saw them at work, absorbed it and then tried to find my own voice.”

For someone who began his career with the buddy comedy, Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), and followed it up with Chashme Baddoor (2013), Divyenndu took more than a decade to say yes to another comedy. But now, aboard Madgaon Express, the actor has returned to his home turf.

What made him give his nod to Kunal Kemmu’s maiden directorial venture? “After a long time, I read a well-written comedy script that made me feel I had to do it,” he smiles.

Starring Pratik Gandhi, Avinash Tiwary and him, Madgaon Express revolves around three friends whose dream holiday in Goa soon turns into a series of misadventures. A comedy relies as much on the actors’ timing as on the director’s vision. Divyenndu says he lucked out on both counts.

Praising the first-time director’s clarity of vision, he says, “When I first read the script written by Kunal, I could see the film clearly. I felt he had a deep understanding of what he was doing. When I met him for a narration, the film became so clear that I felt even I can direct it now!”

Sharing screen space with Gandhi and Tiwary was another high. “Since we are trained actors, we come with a set of principles of acting. For comedy, you need a good co-actor. Once we started doing the readings, we saw that the comedy between us was effortless.” 

Like his fans, Divyenndu too is happy about his return to laugh-riots. If he stayed away from the genre in the past, it was for two reasons. “The scripts weren’t that good. At one point, we were in the zone of sex comedies. But it didn’t resonate with me at all. Also, I wanted to explore other genres. Initially, people would tell me, ‘Why are you saying no to comedies? Make that your home ground.’ I’d tell them, ‘It’s the easy way out, but I don’t want that.’”

I always had goals, whether financial or career-oriented. I got my first job when I was 17. I went off to England when I was 18 and never stayed at home after that. I worked in a bank. I worked in the development sector. I studied extensively. I joined films because I enjoyed acting and then got married. I had not given much thought to having children. But it got to a point where it was like if you want to have children, then now is the time. I thought this was an experience that I would not want to miss out on. And I am glad because once you have a child, then you can’t imagine life without one. I also chose to have a child later in life because I feel the first couple of years of parenting are new, uncharted territory, and I wanted to focus on that. If I was multitasking, I may not have been able to find that work-life balance. I wanted to devote myself to being a mother. I did that entirely, and very happily, for two or three years.

It’s amazing when you can have conversations with kids, and get an insight into the way their minds work. If you just listen to them, you learn so much. We (adults) lack imagination. We know too much about the world. If Inaaya asks, are unicorns real? I say, “Well, I haven’t seen one. That doesn’t mean that they’re not real. I haven’t been on Mars either.” I don’t know a lot about the world, but I would like her to have that imagination for as long as possible. She just lost her first tooth so we were wondering whether we should tell her about the tooth fairy. Would she believe it? Is there Santa Claus? Soon she’s going to know. If you can keep up the magic for as long as possible, why not? But we also answer her questions. I have had arguments with her. I have lost my patience and I have apologized to her many times. But I also go to work and don’t apologize. I tell her I’m going to work because I enjoy working. She doesn’t like that. She says, “Why can’t you cancel it? If you don’t then it means you don’t love me.” I feel slowly she will understand that it’s important to have work, to have friends and other things that define you. It is great fun to have a five-year-old but it’s also difficult because kids are open to many influences. She’s going to school and there are 50,000 other people around her and she’s going to be a product of all of those things.

Kunal is an equal co-parent in sharing responsibilities. But he does have a different style of parenting. What tends to happen is that I want to have control over things like nutrition or bedtime. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be there equally, but it is because I feel like he won’t do it properly. Or nobody will do it properly. That’s why, I often become crazy over things like bedtime. Bedtime for Inaaya is strictly at 7:30 pm. Nobody comes to my house after seven o’clock.

Kunal asks the same question (laughs). But I have noticed that Inaaya functions well on 11 hours of sleep at this age. Of course, every child is different. Also, the child feels she will be able to do everything that you’re doing. It is tough to say: “No, you need to sleep for two or three hours more than I do. You’re still growing. You need to go to school in the morning.” It is tough but that discipline and being able to say ‘no’ to your child is important. It’s hard because children have very logical arguments. Inaaya is such a good negotiator. I am exhausted from negotiating every day. As a working mother, the schedule really helps me. I am doing it for my own peace of mind too as I get time to myself.

Children are very clever. What they tend to do is also play parents against each other. If I say no, she’ll go and complain to Kunal. So, it’s very important to have a united front as parents. But sometimes she really doesn’t listen. It’s important to be patient and remember that what the child is asking for may be small to you but not to them. It is easy to be dismissive and say, “so what if you don’t watch 10 minutes more of TV today? What if you can’t have candy or what if you can’t wear that ridiculous T-shirt?” But this is a child asserting his or her independence; this is them wanting to make choices because bechara they make no choices. You are anyway telling them what to wear, when to go to school, what hairstyle to keep. They are already so disenfranchised at five. It’s okay to allow them to have some say in their lives.

I don’t think you bring a pet home because you want to improve your parenting game or get a toy or playmate to make your child’s life better. A pet is another member of your family. It’s a big responsibility. Not everyone is cut out for it. Just like not everyone needs to be a parent, not everyone needs to be a pet owner. But, yes, pets do add something to your life. I have grown up with dogs because we had space. They are great companions, and it is hard to be in a bad mood with dogs around because they are so full of love. My father once said that it is important for every child to have a pet because it teaches them to cope with death. Your pet will probably die before you, and it will teach you a very hard lesson at a very young age. That’s not really a reason to get a pet but it does teach you life lessons.

She definitely wants another pet. She can’t decide between a cat or a dog. We have had many conversations around this. We remind her: “You’re in school from 8 am to 3 pm; you then want to go and play at people’s houses. Sometimes we go on holidays. Kunal and I have to go away for weeks at a time when we are shooting. Will you make time for the pet? Or will it be like the hundreds of soft toys you play with for five minutes and then toss aside? Cleaning after them, taking them for walks, spending quality time, taking them to the vet when they fall sick, all this will be your responsibility too.” And now she gets that it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. We are waiting for the right time when she is a little older to take on these responsibilities.

My mother suggested that they should really have an adventure where someone gets into trouble. Like either Bobo saves Inni or Inni saves Bobo. We are trying to figure that out as to how they could — without us looking like irresponsible parents who put them in a place of peril (laughs).To creatively collaborate with your family in itself is quite perilous. Everyone has different personalities; everyone wants things a certain way. People have tantrums. But when it comes to writing, it’s been amazing to see this process through Inaaya’s eyes. To see how a story in your mind can be put from pen to paper, finger to keyboard, and then be printed, bound, illustrated and shared with the world. She has understood the process and what it means to be an author. Seeing that happen has been wonderful.

I really should write a book on the perils of parenting. I wish I had started writing from the beginning because already five years have elapsed. And when you are a parent, every year is momentous. Like zero to one year is a stage. Then from three to five, big things are happening. But I am too busy and happy living this life right now.

You have to just say ‘no’ to screen time, and there will be times when they will really resent you, especially when your own world is inundated with screens. How do you explain to a child that she can’t watch TV when you are binge-watching an entire show because a producer wants you to see it? So much of our work is now screen-oriented and kids just don’t get it. I think it’s important for them to be screen-free for some time in the day. It’s about prioritizing and planning. Be involved and do something fun with them, whether it is art, crafts, storytelling, or reading together, or going for a walk, or even exercising. Inaaya and I do yoga together. I am old-school and sometimes I do pressurize my child to read books, even if there are many different ways of becoming smart and assimilating information today. There’s something beautiful about reading a book. As much as possible, I will be that annoying mother who will always tell her child to read a book. You will never be bored if you have a book.

I think I have more patience than her. For sure! But then I was the youngest child. She had my brother when she was 26. She was working then. By the time I was born almost 10 years later, she was home more. She was in school, she was on the PTA, she was doing bake-sales and school drop offs. She was a very visible parent for me. That’s what I want to do for Inaaya. I saw that she was a working professional who can also carve out time. It does take a community to bring up a child. She was very good at delegating responsibilities. I am learning to do that from her. And she looked after herself too. As they say, first you have to look after yourself, only then can you look after the household. Having her as a grandparent is very useful. Because she’s indulgent with Inaaya and I am there to be the authoritarian figure.

Everyone has a different approach. For me, it doesn’t work to hustle the child out of the car or say don’t do this or that. It creates a sense of fear and panic. The paparazzi have been respectful too. If you ask them to not take pictures at a certain time — that perhaps we can come back to pose later — they do listen. More importantly, it helps to have that conversation with the child about the fact that people will be taking pictures of you because your family has worked hard to attain a certain level of celebrity and they are public figures. People are interested in you as a result of that. It’s not so much about what you’ve done in life, although you’re very cute. Inaaya already understands that, and it doesn’t bother her.

Kunal Kemmu’s 30-year acting career has witnessed several transitions. He went from being a successful child actor, to becoming the leading man, and finally foraying into digital entertainment with Abhay. His next step — turning director. The actor’s maiden directorial venture, Madgaon Express, is said to be a comedy drama starring Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu, Avinash Tiwary and Nora Fatehi. Asked about the experience of switching to writing and direction, the Go Goa Gone actor says he is too closely involved with the project to reflect on it objectively.

“I haven’t finished the film yet; it is in post-production. I want to cherish this experience right now because it feels so good,” he smiles. 

The actor-turned-director, however, shares that going from in front of the camera to behind it entails one significant change — letting go of vanity. Elaborating on his point, Kemmu says, “It’s different from being in front of the camera because the vanity is out [of the picture]. As a director, you are concentrating on the frame, your actors and everything else. You are no longer going to your van, getting ready and checking in the mirror how you are looking. There is also more pressure when you go behind the camera, which I slowly got adjusted to.”

Weeks into the thunderous success of The Family Man 2, creators Raj-DK (Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK) are back at work, ready to kick off their next production, tentatively titled Ashwalinga. The Amazon Prime Video series sees the filmmaker duo reunite with their favourite collaborators — Pankaj Tripathi and Kunal Kemmu. While Tripathi had won acclaim for his rib-tickling performance in their 2018 hit Stree, Kemmu has previously headlined their directorial offerings, 99 (2009) and Go Goa Gone (2013).

A source reveals that the comedy, set in the period of the Kama Sutra, will be helmed by Tumbbad (2018) director Rahi Anil Barve. “Ashwalinga has been envisioned as a big-budget period project. True to Rahi’s style, the story has its roots in mythology and Indian folklore. He has finished writing it with Tumbbad co-writer Mitesh Shah and will take it on floors soon. At the moment, elaborate sets, designed as per the architectural style of the era, are being built in the suburbs” says the source.

It is heard that Tripathi and Kemmu had just begun filming the comedy in March when the junta curfew made them hit the brakes. “Along with Dongri To Dubai and Four More Shots Please 3, this will be among the first Amazon shows to resume shoot in the first week of July,” adds the source.

There has been a lot of debate around regulating content on OTT platforms. Talking about it, Kunal Kemmu, who has been a part of a web show and had a film that released directly on the digital medium last year, says, “Just because there is tolerance towards the amount of sex or bad language used in the digital space, that doesn’t mean you overdo it. Har ek line mein gaali daalne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. It should be part of your story and be effective in the narration, then it’s fine. We have to use the digital space responsibly.”

Further, Kunal goes on to explain how people tend to overreact on seeing fictional characters and stories that are trying to convey something. He says, “I feel that sometimes people get hypersensitive about certain things. It’s not that somebody is trying to put somebody down on a web show… it’s just a fictional character, and the narrator is trying to say something that’s of relevance. There is a thin line between trying to say something necessary and trying to get reactions by stirring up controversy to boost viewership.”

“Lootcase was never intended to be released on OTT. We had a mixed bag of emotions when it came to the release,” says actor Kunal Kemmu, talking about the sleeper hit of 2020, which was also declared one of most liked direct-to-ott films, in a recent survey.

Talking about his film’s success, he is glad for all the love that the film got. He says, “The film has repeat value. Sure, we were hoping it would be a theatrical release as a comedy of this scale, there is another level of energy and fun while watching in theatres with others. For us, the unit of the film, the idea of watching the audiences reactions live is another high. Unfortunately, we were robbed of that for multiple reasons; most important of all was due to the Coronavirus pandemic,” he says, adding that the love the film got is its biggest takeaway.

With theatres opening up and a number of big-budget films announcing their release date for the year, there are hardly any Fridays left for small budget movies. Going forward, will this lead to smaller films sticking to OTT only? Kemmu replies, “We have gone through such unprecedented times that to predict the future is a far-fetched idea. Even when theatres were open, there was always a fight for smaller films to get enough screens, the proper windows and showtimes. Somewhere, OTT has been a saviour for so many films and shows which are content-driven and not star-driven.”

He adds, “Moreover, it’s one thing to think theatres are open and films are releasing but the other thing is, how comfortable will people be to go to theatres right now. There is still a lot of risk as everyone hasn’t got the vaccine. Even in the future, when people will watch movies in theatres regularly, the bigger films will always find bigger muscle to get screens. We will have to wait and gauge the appetite of audiences to watch films on the big screen and on OTT; and if there will be kinds of films which will only release in theatres. Maybe you would want to enjoy a spectacle film like Avengers or a Rohit Shetty film in the theatres while if it’s a human drama or story about relationships, maybe people might enjoy it on OTT.”