EXpress Vourself

KUNAL KEMMU IS MAKING HIS DEBUT AS A DIRECTOR WITH MADGAON EXPRESS. SUMAN SHARMA INTERVIEWS THE ACTOR-TURNED DIRECTOR

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Kunal Kemmu, who's making his debut as a director with Madgaon Express, is busy giving interviews left, right and centre at the Excel Entertainment office. Despite being busier than a bee, he still looks fresh as a hot cup of coffee. He's at his gracious best asking whether I had something to eat or drink before starting the interview. The bonhomie spills over when his producer, Farhan Akhtar, comes in to say hi. The duo hug it out and Farhan praises his director non-stop before exiting the room. Writing is in his blood. His grandfather, Moti Lal Kemmu, is a noted Kashmiri playwright, who has been bestowed with honours such as the Sahitya Academy Award and the Padma Shri. Kunal was one of the writers for the zombie comedy Go Goa Gone and has written Madgaon Express as well. He doesn't display any jitters of being a first time director as he amicably answers my questions without pulling any punches.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A DIRECTOR WITH MADGAON EXPRESS?

I just love films. I'd been on the sets since I was six years old and fell in love with acting. I have stories in my head that I want to write. I ended up being a writer for a film like Go Goa Gone, which allowed me to learn the skill of writing. Madgaon Express is a film that I wrote imagining every little detail. It was Riteish Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar who said, 'Why don't you direct it?' I jumped at the opportunity. But at the end of the day, they are going to put their money into it. So I asked twice-are you confident? But they had faith in me. I am happy that I took this chance. And we enjoyed every single day on the sets.

JOURNEYS ARE A RECURRENT THEME OF ALL THE FILMS PRODUCED BY EXCEL. HOW DIFFERENT IS THE JOURNEY DEPICTED IN YOUR FILM?