‘Did I actually take that part?’ Kunal Kemmu on past roles
Known for his out-and-out comedy dramas such as the Golmaal franchise and Go Goa Gone (2013), actor Kunal Kemmu shifted gears to experiment with the crime thriller genre in his debut web series Abhay, and is now looking forward to the show’s second season. The 36-year-old actor considers it one of his best performances but confesses that he was initially “skeptical” to take the plunge.
“Abhay helped me break away from comedy dramas that people related me with. As the trend had just started, I wasn’t sure about acting on the web. But when I was approached for Abhay, I instinctively said yes because I like investigation and crime beat. I was doing so many comedies, and to suddenly come out and do a serious part was really exciting,” says Kunal, who plays the role of an ingenious investigating officer.
Talking about the upcoming season, he says, “There are talks of Season 2, but it is still being written. So we have not got around to starting that yet. I believe there is an intent to do a second series as well.”
The actor, who recently shot for his next, Malang, starring Aditya Roy Kapur, Disha Patani and Anil Kapoor, says he has become more conscious in terms of his career choices. “When I look back to 2000s, I sometimes think… Oh God, I did it like that! Did I actually take the part? The voice is so thin and the hairstyle is so bad. But now, times have changed. The way characters are written and directors are filming is changing with today’s trends and situations,” says Kunal, who doesn’t want to name the films he is referring to.
He adds, “You can reinvent as an actor, you can reinvent your genre and script, but I don’t know how you can reinvent yourself as a person because life is full of struggles. With age, you tend to mature and evolve. With experience, you know that there are certain films that you would want to do differently. That’s how I’m reinventing myself as an actor.”