‘I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAY CRITICS DON’T BOTHER ME’
Actor Kunal Kemmu says while he is his own first critic, he also cares about other people’s opinions on his performances
Actor Kunal Kemmu is a happy man, currently basking in the appreciation he has received for his negative turn in Malang.
Ask him how the postrelease reactions have been and he reveals, “I am happy because I was nervous [about it]. Honestly, I couldn’t relax because I wasn’t sure about what will happen. It was a tough part. I wasn’t sure if I had done justice to it. I didn’t have any parallels to draw. So I just slept the previous night. I was happy people liked my character so much. That’s what keeps me going, I wanted this.”
The 36-year-old has had enough experience of showbiz, having started his career in 1993 as a child actor with Sir, and then progressing to doing films as an adult — Kalyug (2005), Dhol (2007), Golmaal 3 (2010), and more.
He might have been praised for his performance in Malang, but do critic reviews affect him — is a bad or good review enough to change his mood for the day?
Kunal agrees. “Of course. As actors, especially. I have done stage work, too. It’s so gratifying there, that immediately, while you are performing, you get to know how it is coming along. People clap for you, and if they do not, you know they aren’t engaged.
Then, you can do something to kind of change it. Whereas in films, it’s something that was shot a year ago, or six months ago,” he says.
The first critic is Kunal himself. “When you watch it for the first time, you criticise it yourself, and analyse it differently. Then you wait for how it’s actually going to be like, because your performance is for the people. I would be lying if I say critics don’t bother me, or I don’t care what people say. Sometimes, you understand where this is coming from. Obviously, I feel blessed that I have not been on the receiving end of those critical reviews. But yes, even if someone says, ‘This time you were not that good’, it affects me. I then feel I should do better. When someone says they loved my performance, I feel gratified, and that I have to maintain this,” he signs off.
Rishabh Suri It’s so gratifying that while you are performing, you get to know how it’s coming along. People clap for you, and if they don’t, you know they aren’t engaged.
KUNAL KEMMU ACTOR