Kunal Kemmu

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? Well, Kunal hails from Srinagar. When he was just 4 years old he was playing in the Green Valley without knowledge that a TV unit was shooting. TV director Ved Rahi was shooting for a Doordarshan serial, Gul Gulshan Gulfam in Srinagar close to Kunal’s house. Kunal was not aware of films or shooting so unaware of the shooting he kept playing and was caught on camera. Thus one can see a fleeting appearance of Kunal in the TV serial Gul Gulshan Gulfam (1987). Kunal’s family migrated to Mumbai Kunal’s family holds high prestige in Jammu and Kashmir. His grandfather Moti Lal Kemmu won Padma Shri from the government of India for his contribution to Drama and theatre. Both his father and mother are great theater actors hence Kunal was born with acting in his blood. In the late 80’s his family migrated from Srinagar to Mumbai due to the rise in terror and atrocities on Kashmiri Pandits. They stayed at Mumbai’s suburb Mira Road where young Kunal joined Niranjanlal Dalmia High School in Mira Road.

Film legend Mahesh Bhatt became Kunal Khemu’s mentor Since Kunal’s parents were theatre artists, little Kunal too began frequenting theatre with his parents and was attracted to acting. He did a few plays as a child artist and was once noticed by noted filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. He was impressed by young Kunal and gave him his first break in his film Sir (1993). The movie was ha it and young Kunal became a permanent member of Mahesh Bhatt’s camp. He did many films like Dushman (1998), Naaraaz (1994), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Angaaray (1998), Tamanna (1998) and last but not least Mahesh Bhatt’s most beautiful film Zakhm (1998) that won him National Award. In this film, Kunal had a difficult role. He played the young Ajay Devgn, who is abandoned by his father and lives with his mother. It was an emotional role and was quite crucial. Overwhelmed by Kunal’s wonderful performance, Mahesh Bhatt had assured Kunal that he would give him a break as an adult. Another other hit film that Kunal did as a child artist was Raja Hindustani. In this film, he had a good role opposite Aamir Khan. Mahesh Bhatt lived to his words and gave Kunal his first break as a hero After Zakham, Kunal took a break from film on his father’s advice. His father told him that most child artists were not able to make a successful career as heroes/heroines because they tried to become heroes/heroines, even before their memory as child actors was not erased from the minds of film buffs. So his father asked Kunal to let people forget him as a child actor and return to cinema after a gap when his memory as a child actor is erased from the memory of people. Kunal followed his father’s advice focused on his studies and even joined theatre to improve his acting skills. When he was 22 years old, he was surprised to hear a call from Mahesh Bhatt, who offered him a film as a hero! Kunal Khemu was hesitant to do Mahesh Bhatt’s film Readers would be surprised to know when Mahesh Bhatt called Kunal to offer him his film, Kunal was overjoyed but soon his excitement fizzed out when Mahesh Bhatt told him that the name of the film was ‘Blue Film.’ Mahesh Bhatt was making a film to expose the blue film industry and how it secretly captured couples engaged in sex and minted money. The name of the film created controversy and Bhatt was forced to re-name it as Kalyug (2005). The film was an instant hit. After the success of Kalyug, Kunal gave two more hits Traffic Signal and Dhol. In all three films, Kunal played a variety of roles and was accepted by Bollywood. Mumbai’s famous film magazine, Stardust had awarded him with the unique award of - Superstar of Tomorrow. Kunal Khemu’s career went berserk due to the wrong selection of movies After a hat trick of hits, Kunal’s career suddenly went berserk as he signed some wrong films and gave a string of flops like Superstar, Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge, Jai Veeru, 99, Blood Money, Go Goa Gone, Mr Joe B. Carvalho, Bhaag Johnny, Guddu Ki Gun. The only saving grace during his career was his comic performance in Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal 3 and Golmaal Again.