Some artistes have journeys that extend far beyond the screen. They continually explore new creative avenues and, in the process, carve out an identity of their own. Kunal Kemmu is one such artiste. He stepped in front of the camera as a child artiste, established himself as an actor and eventually ventured into writing and direction. A journey that began in childhood has now reached a new chapter in his evolution as a storyteller.

Having appeared in films such as ‘Sir’, ‘Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke’, ‘Raja Hindustani’, ‘Zakhm’ and ‘Kalyug’, Kemmu made his directorial debut with ‘Madgaon Express’. He is now set to return to audiences with his new film ‘Vibe’, in which he takes on the roles of producer, director and actor. In an open conversation with Hindusthan Samachar, Kemmu spoke about his cinematic journey, his experience of writing and directing, and his relationship with his wife, Soha Ali Khan.

Q: When did the idea of transitioning from an actor to a director first occur to you, and what was the biggest inspiration behind it?

Kunal Kemmu: To be honest, I wanted to explore something different alongside acting. I started writing because, as an actor, I wanted to take on a different kind of role. When the idea for ‘Madgaon Express’ came to me, I thought, “Why not create the kind of roles I wasn’t getting opportunities to play?” At that point, I did not know the formal process of writing a screenplay. I simply put on paper the film as it was playing out in my head.

When some people read the screenplay, they told me, “You can see the entire film in your head, so why don’t you direct it yourself?” I was hesitant at first, but then I thought, why not use the opportunity to learn filmmaking and direction? Excel Entertainment took on the responsibility of producing the film, and I began my directorial journey.

To be honest, I learnt direction on the set itself. However, I have been interested in filmmaking since childhood. I have been acting since I was six, so watching people work and understanding the process of making a film has always been part of my journey. While working with Mahesh Bhatt, I also had the opportunity to closely observe screenplay meetings, song recordings and various other aspects of filmmaking.

I thoroughly enjoyed making ‘Madgaon Express’, and when audiences responded positively to the film, I felt encouraged to direct again.

Q: After ‘Madgaon Express’, this is your first film as a producer, director and actor. How challenging was it to handle all three responsibilities simultaneously?

Kunal Kemmu: To be honest, it takes me time to make a film. I started working on this story soon after ‘Madgaon Express’ and then moved directly into the filmmaking process. There were several challenges along the way, but I did not have the luxury of simply sitting back and treating them as problems. I had only one objective in front of me: to complete the film, no matter what.

So, I kept finding solutions to every challenge and moving forward. Looking back today, I no longer see those difficulties as obstacles. I see them as part of the filmmaking process and as lessons I learnt along the way. I am extremely happy with the way the film has turned out. Now, I hope audiences will enjoy it as well.

Q: Your grandfather was a prominent figure in literature and was honoured with the Padma Shri. Did the literary environment and legacy you grew up with influence your writing?

Kunal Kemmu: I do not consider myself a very literary person. It is possible that the literary environment had some influence on me somewhere, but since childhood, I have been more interested in films and visual mediums than books. My parents would sometimes worry that I was constantly watching films and wonder when I would focus on my studies.

My grandfather was a major name in the literary world, so I certainly inherited a literary legacy, but my own path was somewhat different. I was more drawn towards films and commercial cinema. Ideas would often come to me, but I learnt how to put them down on paper properly only later.

That is why receiving a positive response to my writing from audiences and the people I have worked with has made me extremely happy.

Q: After taking on the responsibilities of directing and producing films, have you ever considered casting Soha Ali Khan in one of your films?

Kunal Kemmu: No, fortunately, that has never happened. Soha also understands that, as actors, we do not have control over every role that comes our way. She has never asked me to write a role for her or questioned why I did not cast her in one of my films.

That has given me complete freedom to work in my own way. When I am occupied with a film, I become completely immersed in it. At times, I am so involved that I barely know what is happening at home. During such periods, Soha plays a major role in managing our home and taking care of the children. That partnership is extremely important to me.

Whenever she takes up something new, I support her wholeheartedly as well. At present, she is working on a podcast, so I also make sure to manage my time around her work. This is how we support each other while understanding one another’s professional commitments and responsibilities.

Q: How challenging was it to act while simultaneously handling the responsibilities of directing?

Kunal Kemmu: Physically, mentally and emotionally, it was certainly exhausting, but at no point did I feel that it was impossible. Our preparation was very strong, which meant that the work proceeded in a fairly organised manner.

There were many occasions when I had to get ready for a shot while my makeup was still being done. That is why we planned everything carefully before beginning the shoot. Every department knew that I had to act as well as direct.

The rehearsals, blocking and layout of the scenes were planned in advance. As soon as the entire team arrived on set in the morning, everyone knew which scene had to be shot first and what would follow. This made it easier for me to concentrate fully on my performance as well.

At the same time, if a new idea came up during filming, we always had the flexibility to incorporate it.

Q: Your film and ‘Daaera’ are releasing on the same day. How do you view the box-office clash?

Kunal Kemmu: I was very happy with the things Kareena said about my film. I am sincerely grateful to her. To be honest, no producer wants their film to release on the same day as another film because it can have an impact on the box office.

However, the good thing is that our film is getting a sufficient number of shows. ‘Daaera’ features excellent actors such as Kareena and Prithviraj and is directed by Meghna Gulzar. The two films belong to different genres, so I believe audiences will give both films a chance.

Ultimately, what matters most is that good films reach audiences and that audiences enjoy them.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar