‘I’ve stopped thinking about what others think of me: Kunal Kemmu

He started out as a child artiste and went on to build a career across comedy, drama and character-driven roles. Today, Kunal Kemmu is equally at home behind the camera, with his directorial debut, Madgaon Express (2024), earning appreciation. While he continues to balance acting and directing, he has also been exploring music, releasing his debut single Locha last year, followed recently by his second track, Nindiya.
‘I love the things that I do and just want to keep creating’
Despite the many reinventions, Kunal appears remarkably detached from how the industry perceives him. Ask him if people have become too accustomed to seeing him in light-hearted roles and, in the process, overlooked his wider creative range, and he replies, “To be honest, one part of maturing has been that I have stopped complaining about things and thinking about what others think of me. I love the things that I do and I just want to keep creating.”



‘I no longer imagine what it would be like if I had to approach a scene as a filmmaker’
For someone who started out as an actor, moving behind the camera could easily have changed the way he approaches performances. But for Kunal, directing has brought a clearer sense of focus. He says, “I feel much more at ease as an actor now on set. I’m no longer imagining what it could be if I had to approach a scene as a filmmaker. I feel like I get to do that with my own films and so now I’m only working on giving the director what he wants from me and it’s easier to switch off the director within.”

‘Every parent decides what’s right or wrong for their children’
Kunal and wife Soha Ali Khan, both of whom come from film families, have also consciously maintained a relatively grounded environment for their daughter, Inaaya. In a world where celebrity children often grow up in the spotlight, he says the key has been to simply stay true to what feels right for the family.
“We have always lived the way we feel comfortable and happy, with no special effort made. As far as exposure goes, we’ve again just done what we’re comfortable with and refused what didn’t make sense to us. There’s no judgment, and there’s no right or wrong approach for anyone. Every parent decides what’s right or wrong for their children and for their family,” he says.

On writing a lullaby for Inaaya
What started as a bedtime ritual with his daughter eventually inspired the song Nindiya. Talking about that, Kunal says, “I would often tell Inaaya stories at bedtime and even sing songs — mostly lullabies. She would ask me lots of questions about them, so I promised her that I would write and sing one for her, and that’s how Nindiya happened. I knew that someone out there would connect with it and play it for their kids as well. I’m an instinct-driven person when it comes to most things in my life, especially music and films.”