The actor and his wife Soha Ali Khan are expecting their first baby in September and Golmaal Again releases a few weeks later
Kunal Kemmu is in a cheerful mood as we meet him in Hyderabad shooting for Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal Again. The actor looks relaxed while he’s recovering from a bout of flu as we catch up for a chat on him turning a father with his baby due in September, working in Golmaal Again and taking tips on fatherhood from his co-star Tusshar Kapoor…
Yes I will become a father in September and then the film will release on Diwali in October. Right now I am figuring out what we are having – a boy or girl as we don’t know. I can’t really describe the feeling of impending fatherhood but I am very excited and happy. It’s not been unnerving though a lot of people said I would be very nervous and excited about it as I would get sleepless nights but I haven’t felt that. I just remember being very happy and I can’t wait to be a father now!
You both don’t know if it’s a boy or girl?
I just want a baby! In fact, actually I never felt the need to know, except a few times when I was curious so I could know what to shop for but there’s a little bit of excitement in the fact about what it’s going to be. The prep work has started – have already bought the sling bag to carry the baby in. We have stuck to neutral colours while doing up the baby’s nursery as of now and kept certain things which we can do later on depending on what the baby is. Luckily it’s not hit ya flop, it is going to be a hit either ways not like Friday ki opening lagegi ya nahi! Thankfully it’s not like that.
Will you take paternity leave for your baby?
We will be promoting Golmaal Again after my baby gets born so yes, a little bit of leave is very important otherwise I will be in trouble later (laughs). I am sure we will have help at home but more than me taking leave, I really want to because I want to spend time with the baby. I am very excited about this so I start planning in my head what we are going to do after our baby is born. Soha is like, ‘Listen it’s going to be some time for the baby to grow up before you do all of that.’ So yes, I will take some time off. I don’t think we will have a pretty rigorous schedule while promoting the film and then when Golmaal Again releases, I hope our baby will watch my first film!
Has your co-star Tusshar Kapoor given you tips on fatherhood?
I think he’s still figuring out being a father himself. Yesterday I saw him all worked up, and taking off when his baby Lakshya was crying because of the hot weather. I could see Tusshar ‘OMG! Everybody is looking at me!’ So we all calmed him down and said, ‘It’s okay. He’s fine.’ I don’t think he’s the one who will give you tips. In fact I ask him slyly ‘So how’s it been? Has it changed?’ And you can see Tusshar has actually become way more mature now and he’s so much calmer. He loves his kid. He spends so much time with Lakshya and its wonderful seeing the way he looks after his baby. It’s been babies galore everywhere – Saif had a baby and so many of my other friends were having babies. Everybody was like ab tumhari baari hai. I was like yeh koi ticket thodi batt rahi hai yaar… But it’s good – I am happy! There was so much pressure that finally I was like ‘Thank God! It’s done!’ I am just happy ki ab ho gaya! It’s also at the right time as Soha and I were both prepared to have this baby.
On the work front do we get to see you do something different in Golmaal Again?
I hope you will get to see something quirky in my character in Golmaal Again. I don’t know if we evolve in any of the Golmaals but we definitely become quirkier and funnier. We are having so much fun that we lose perspective but we know we have the right captain in Rohit Shetty to handle this ship. I can’t comment on the details but yes, we have retained a little bit of the mahuvra thing (he played a poet in Golmaal 3) and tried to do something with the kind of sequences and the way we go about scenes. This Golmaal stands out from the others we have done and Rohit’s vision for this one is much bigger and is actually like a festival film as we know that the kids and families come to watch and enjoy such films. We have VFX, computer graphics and drones on sets and it’s really cool to see them work.
Tell us about the Goa Goa Gone sequel…
It’s too early to talk about it. Right now we have just figured out that we are going to make the second part so scripting and all have started. It’s a long way before we begin but we are hoping to crack it somewhere within a year.

Exclusive Premium Content
Faraaz : We Are The Champions

Faraaz
Directed by Hansal Mehta
Rating: *** ½
Compared with Hansal Mehta’s other two films on global terrorism ,Shahid and Omerta, Faraaz is a mellower more lenient and forgiving work. It is predominantly a discourse on true Islam and its subversion by terrorists as embodied in the two main characters Faraaz(Zahan kapoor) and Nibras(Aditya Rawal).
The dialogues between the two are sharp and relevant. Most importantly these dialogues never overstay their welcome, hence the film, though largely confined to a café held hostage by a bunch of misguided youngsters, never gets verbose.Instead Hansal Mehta brings in a sense of reined-in anxiety.
The agony of those outside the sealed café, whether the government officials or parents of the hostages(Juhi Babbar Soni, Amir Ali are both superb , though the former has a far more dramatic scope than the latter) is given as much priority as the terrorized hostages inside the café.
Unlike the several 26/11 films, the latest being the Adivi Sesh starrer Major, Faraaz is not too keen on generating thrills out of a real-life tragedy. Hansal Mehta doesn’t edit out the brutality and suddenness of the attack, but he does humanize the young terrorists , specially Nibras, played with compelling restraint by Aditya Rawal S/O the extraordinary Paresh.
In the years to come, young Rawal will be an actor to watch.
Faraaz has a lot of young talent to galvanize the story of one blood-bathed night in a café in Bangladesh . Many young people went for an evening of recreation and conversation. Several never came out. This is the story of one braveheart who said he won’t run for his life without his friends.
It’s a disturbing moving tale of true heroism told with feeling rather than flourish.
Exclusive Premium Content
Nutella India signs Bollywood Superstar Ranveer Singh to promote the brand across India

Nutella, the original and popular hazelnut cocoa spread brand of Ferrero, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sweet-packaged products, has signed Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh as its brand endorser for India market.
By coming on board as a brand representative for India, the superstar will promote the Nutella brand across digital and offline marketing channels as well as be an active part of their various campaigns.
Nutella® India made the announcement in collaboration with the pan-India star Ranveer Singh’s social pages through an entertaining video, where the actor is seen engaging in a rapid-fire round on ‘what comes to my mind when….’ and proclaims his love for the brand.
Ranveer Singh comments, “I am excited to announce my association with Nutella®. Nutella® has always held a special place in my heart. I’ve been a fan ever since I was a child and my love for it has only grown over the years. I am stoked to be part of the Nutella journey in India and help bring alive their vision of making tasty breakfast and desserts.”
The Bollywood star, whose love for Nutella is no secret, will be launching the World Nutella® Day celebrations this year with fans.
Exclusive Premium Content
Rakesh Roshan: “Everything I Know About Acting & Direction, I Learnt From K Vishwanathji”

The mighty moviemaker K Vishwanath who was to Telugu cinema what Satyajit Ray was to Bengali cinema, passed away on February 2,leaving behind a luminous legacy.
Acto-director Rakesh Roshan who had the rare honour of working in four projects with Vishwanath recalls him with tremendous respect. “Everything I know about acting and direction I learnt from him. He was a stalwart , an institution, and so passionate about his work. I had the privilege of being directed by him in two films Aurat Aurat Aurat and Shubh Kamna. He would show his actors exactly what he wanted, down to the minutest gesture.His understanding of the medium was extraordinary.”
Rakesh Roshan remembers how he invited Vishwanath to make films for him. “I produced two films that Vishwanathji directed. One was Kaamchor, the other was Jaag Utha Insaan.While the first was a runaway success, the second didn’t do well.”
Speaking on how Kaamchor happened Rakesh recalls, “Vishwanathji and I used to meet socially in Hyderabad.We wanted to work together. But we had no script.One evening when we met he looked very depressed. When I asked him what was wrong, he said his new release Shubodayam (in Telugu) had flopped. That night I went to see Shobodayam in a theatre in Hyderabad. The next morning I told Vishwanathji, ‘We’ve found our script’. I told him where the storytelling in Shubhodayam had gone wrong.We corrected the script and that’s how Kaamchor happened. Although the entire story revolved around me, it was Jaya Prada who benefited from Kaamchor.”
About the beautiful Jaag Utha Insaan , Rakesh Roshan admits bluntly, “It flopped because of miscasting. During those days Sridevi was known in Hindi cinema as a glamorous heroine. We cast her as classical dancer. Mithun Chakraborty had the image of Gun Master G-9 and Disco Dancer.We cast him as a downtrodden underdog. I was known for Kaamchor and other citybred characters,I was cast as a Brahmin pandit.With other actors Jaag Utha Insaan would have been a superhit”
Rakesh met K Vishwanath six years ago. “We were shooting for Krissh in Hyderabad. He came on the set several times. We had so much to say to each other. After that we lost contact. He was very very busy with many projects. K Vishwanathji lived for his cinema.”
Exclusive Premium Content
As His Latest Work Faraaz Releases Today, Hansal Mehta Speaks To Subhash K Jha On The Exciting Times Ahead

Hansal, Faraaz is your fifteenth directorial venture. How does it feel to have come so far with so many milestones behind you?
I don’t count my films. Genuinely. Every film is a new beginning. Every film has its share of uncertainty and nerves. Perhaps it is also because of the choices I make. There is no scope for either complacency or me carrying a false sense of security. I’m not complaining,though. Living life on the edge keeps me going.
I consider Faraaz to be a part of your great trilogy on the dynamics of terrorism, after Shahid and Omerta…where do you see Faraaz positioned in your creative ambit?
Thank you , Subhash.Faraaz is a film I’m very, very proud of. It was a challenge to pull off, a tough journey but creatively a very satisfying one. As Rajkummar Rao told me after watching the film , the Trilogy is complete now. Time to explore new stories and new characters. And finish post-production for all the exciting things that we shot for over the past eighteen months.
Out of curiosity which of your films have given you the most creative satisfaction?
Almost every film Shahid onwards has been immensely satisfying , both in terms of process and the outcome. Save a couple that I need not name. But even those I own for all their flaws, failures, deficiencies and redeeming qualities. But Faraaz has been a great process. I’ve made so many new friends in this journey and found some of the most exciting colleagues that I’m proud to introduce through the film. Writers Raghav Kakkar and Kashyap Kapoor (who co-wrote the film with Ritesh Shah), Cinematographer Pratham Mehta, Sound Designer Mandar Kulkarni, Editor Amitesh Mukherjee, co-producers Sahil, Maz and Sakshi – all of whom have given their blood and sweat to make this film happen. And of course Anubhav Sinha one of my oldest friends in the industry who backed me in telling this story just the way I wanted it. So yes, Faraaz has been satisfying and also filled me with a deep sense of gratitude. I must have done something right, no?
Of course. Faraaz has a lot of young new actors in it. Tell me about the process of casting in this film? It couldn’t have been easy since there are dozens of faces?
That was the challenge and the joy of making this film. I worked on the story during Chhalaang and I always knew that it would be a return to my indie roots for Faraaz. The film had to be made. And it needed fresh faces, bereft of image or trappings of stardom. A huge credit to Mukesh Chhabra who has a huge role to play in my filmography since Shahid. We constantly challenge each other and never ever give up. Casting is a process I really enjoy and finding the right talent to bring characters alive is something I thrive upon. Faraaz has an amazing ensemble. Right from Aditya Rawal , Zahan Kapoor, Juhi Babbar to every small character in the film including the officers, parents and the hostages this one is a triumph of honest casting , casting without an eye on profits, simply in service of the film, of the character.
Faraaz is about a terror attack in Bangladesh?how do you respond to those who want to know, why Bangladesh?
In our research of this dastardly attack we realised that here was a story that had a larger message and something very universal to share. Misguided youth taking up violence in the name of religion or a parent’s love for her child or the unexpected bravery from an unlikely hero are themes that cannot be limited by borders, nationality or language. These stories must be told. They must transcend the limitations of perceived local relevance – particularly when our polarised times need such stories to be told to a larger audience.
In 2020, your OTT series Scam 1992 proved to b e game changer. Do you see Scam as a turning point in your career?
I see Scam 1992 as an enabler. We did not expect its humongous success and to say it did not change things would be fake humility. It gave me back a lot of things I had lost in the years before it released. Including some money. And the courage to tell the stories I desperately wanted to. Also exceptional friends and collaborators like Sameer Nair and his Studio Applause.
Your films and your attitude to cinema has always been fearless. How do you cope with the threat of growing intolerance in our society vis a vis your convictions as a filmmaker?
It is not new to me. Remember Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar in 2000? The only difference now is that then I was deeply affected by the intolerance to a point of self destruction. Now I channelise my despair and anger into telling relevant stories and through them taking on those who have made it a business to be intolerant.
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Karan Johar Moves Alia Song From Switzerland To Kashmir
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Bobby Deol’s Switchover To Villainous Roles
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Jamuna Had A Love-Hate Relationship With Bollywood
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 week ago
Pink Director’s Next Featuring Yami As A Crime Reporter To Stream From February 16
-
Exclusive Premium Content6 days ago
Why On Earth Is Sushmita Sen Smoking A Cigar In Aarya’s First Look?
-
Exclusive Premium Content4 days ago
Samantha Ruth Prabhu to Star Alongside Varun Dhawan in Prime Video’s Indian Original Series , Samantha Speaks
-
Exclusive Premium Content4 days ago
Aamir Khan’s Sister Plays Shah Rukh’s Mother In Pathaan
-
Exclusive Premium Content6 days ago
Shah Rukh, Deepika, John Will Meet The Media On Monday At 4 pm(But There’s A Catch)
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
Bollywood’s Achche Din Have Come
-
Exclusive Premium Content4 days ago
Anurag Kashyap’s New Film Is About Love Jihad
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
Preity Zinta’s 5 Finest On Her Birthday
-
Exclusive Premium Content6 days ago
Fake Projects of Pathaan Director Being Planted In Media
-
Exclusive Premium Content5 days ago
Kartik Aaryan’s Shehzada Postponed By A Week, Producer Aman Gill Explains Why
-
Exclusive Premium Content3 days ago
To Attend Siddharth-Kiara’s Destination Wedding, Karan Johar Preponed His Twins’s Birthday Bash
-
Exclusive Premium Content3 days ago
The Big Independence Day Clash To Be Averted?
-
Exclusive Premium Content2 days ago
As His Latest Work Faraaz Releases Today, Hansal Mehta Speaks To Subhash K Jha On The Exciting Times Ahead
-
Exclusive Premium Content2 days ago
Rakesh Roshan: “Everything I Know About Acting & Direction, I Learnt From K Vishwanathji”
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 day ago
Nutella India signs Bollywood Superstar Ranveer Singh to promote the brand across India
-
Exclusive Premium Content1 hour ago
Faraaz : We Are The Champions