Kunal Kemmu (born Kunal Ravi Kemmu; 25 May 1983) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema.
Kunal Kemmu | |
|---|---|
 Khemu in 2014 | |
| Born | Kunal Ravi Kemmu 25 May 1983 Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India |
| Alma mater | Narsee Monjee College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives |
|
Early life and background
editKunal Ravi Kemmu was born on 25 May 1983[1] in Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley of the erstwhile Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir,[2] into a Kashmiri Pandit[3] family to actors Ravi Kemmu and Jyoti Kemmu.[4]
He is the older child to the couple and has a younger sister named Karishma Kemmu. He stayed in Srinagar in early years and got initial education from Burn Hall School, but his family had to shift to Jammu. Later, his family stayed in the suburban Mumbai neighbourhood of Mira Road. He finished his schooling from N. L. Dalmia High School in Mira Road; and later attended Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Vile Parle for his further studies. He now lives in Khar, Mumbai.[citation needed]
His grandfather, Moti Lal Kemmu was a Kashmiri playwright, and a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award in 1982 for his contribution to Kashmiri literature, and the Padma Shri.[5][6]
Career
editKunal made his debut as a child actor appearing in the Doordarshan TV series Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (1987), directed by Ved Rahi. He made his film debut with Mahesh Bhatt's film Sir (film) (1993). He went on to star as a child artist in films including Raja Hindustani, Zakhm, Bhai, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Dushman.
He played the lead in the 2005 film Kalyug, which was directed by Mohit Suri.[7] Kalyug was based on the pornography industry. In 2007, his first release was Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal, where he played a street-smart money lender who lends money to poor families, but always gets it back with interest.
His second release of 2007 was Dhol in which he again played lead. In 2008, in his only release, Superstar, he featured in a double role. In 2009, he starred in Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge and Jai Veeru. In 2009, he appeared in the comic-thriller 99. In 2010, he appeared in Golmaal 3 in which he played a supporting role as Laxman.
In 2012, he appeared in Mukesh Bhatt's Blood Money, in which played the lead role as Kunal Kadam, an honest and hard worker who is unknowingly taken into the dark side of Diamond Trade by his Boss. He co-starred in Go Goa Gone, a Zombie comedy film, which was released on 10 May 2013. Both the films fared well at the box office.
In 2015, after over a two-year break, Kunal returned to the screen with the thriller Bhaag Johnny about a man who gets to live two lives by the help of a Jinn, portrayed by director Vikram Bhatt. Though the film began shooting in 2013, it released on 25 September 2015 to mixed reviews and low box office collections.[citation needed] His second release of the same year was the comedy film Guddu Ki Gun, in which Kunal appears in the title role along with Sumeet Vyas. In 2017, he did a voice over in an animated film Hanuman: Da' Damdaar in role of Lord Indra. He also appeared in the fourth instalment of Golmaal (film series) named Golmaal Again reprising his famous role of Laxman Sharma. He portrayed a noteworthy negative character in Malang and gained critical acclaim for his role in Kalank .[8]
Personal life
edit
Khemu was in a relationship with actress Soha Ali Khan since May 2009.[9][10] The couple got engaged in July 2014 and got married in a private ceremony in Mumbai on 25 January 2015 in the presence of selected members of Soha's Family. Through his marriage to Khan, he is related to the Pataudi family. On 29 September 2017, Khan gave birth to their daughter Inaaya Naumi Khemu.[11][12]
Discography
edit| Song | Year | Album | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Babaji Ki Booti" | 2013 | Go Goa Gone | Sachin–Jigar |
| "Hum Yahin" | 2024 | Madgaon Express | Ankur Tewari; Kunal Khemu |
Filmography
editFilms
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Sir | Kunal | |
| Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke | Sunny | ||
| 1994 | Naaraaz | Sunny | |
| 1996 | Raja Hindustani | Rajnikant | |
| 1997 | Tamanna | Young Sajid | |
| Bhai | Kisna | ||
| 1998 | Zakhm | Young Ajay | |
| Dushman | Bheem Bahadur Singh | ||
| Angaaray | Young Amar | ||
| 2005 | Kalyug | Kunal P. Darr | |
| 2007 | Traffic Signal | Silsila | |
| Dhol | Gautam Sisodia (Goti) | ||
| 2008 | Superstar | Kunal Mehra / Karan Saxena | |
| 2009 | Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge | CA Anand Pawar | |
| Jai Veeru | Veeru / Veer Sharma | ||
| 99 | Sachin | ||
| 2010 | Golmaal 3 | Laxman Sharma | |
| 2012 | Blood Money | Kunal Kadam | |
| 2013 | Go Goa Gone | Hardik | Also written dialogues |
| 2014 | Mr Joe B. Carvalho | Himself | Cameo |
| Haircut | Himself | Short film; cameo | |
| 2015 | Bhaag Johnny | Janardhan "Johnny" Arora | |
| Guddu Ki Gun | Gowardhan "Guddu" Prasad | ||
| 2017 | Hanuman: Da' Damdaar | Lord Indra | Voice |
| Poster Boys | Himself | Cameo | |
| Golmaal Again | Laxman Sharma | ||
| 2018 | Simmba | Himself | Cameo |
| 2019 | Kalank | Abdul Khan | |
| 2020 | Malang | Michael Rodriguez | |
| Lootcase | Nandan Kumar | ||
| 2023 | Kanjoos Makhichoos | Jamuna Prasad Pandey | |
| 2024 | Madgaon Express | Drug Peddler | Cameo; also writer and director, lyricist for "Hum Yahin" and "Bohot Bhaari" |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Gul Gulshan Gulfaam | Unknown | |
| 1989 | Chitra Kathaien | Unknown | Episode: "Jhoot ka Aalam" |
| 2010 | Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 3 | Contestant | Reality show |
| 2019–2022 | Abhay | SP Abhay Pratap Singh | 3 seasons |
| 2023 | Pop Kaun? | Sahil | 6 episodes |
| TBA | Gulkanda Tales † | TBA | Post-production[13] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filmfare OTT Awards | 2023 | Best Actor: Comedy | Pop Kaun? | Nominated | [14] |
| Screen Awards | 1998 | Best Child Artist | Zakhm | Won | [15] |
| 2014 | Best Dialogue | Go Goa Gone | Nominated | [16] | |
| Best Performance in a Comic Role - Male | Nominated | ||||
| Stardust Awards | 2006 | Superstar of Tomorrow - Male | Kalyug | Won |
References
edit- ^ "10 साल की उम्र में ही कुणाल ने शुरू कर दी थी एक्टिंग, 'जख्म' खाकर जीता था दुनिया का दिल". ABP News (in Hindi). 25 May 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Kunal Khemu is sad that Srinagar in on news for bloodshed". Daily News and Analysis. 3 March 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
- ^ "Kunal Khemu On Being Kashmiri Pandit: "I did Feel like an OUTSIDER Every now and Then But…"". Bollywood Hungama. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ Karia, Vidhi (19 May 2017). "Kunal Kemmu runs errands with fam". Filmfare. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Kashmiri Playwrights". Ikashmir.net. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Padma Awards". pib. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ Subhash K Jha (21 December 2005). "Kunal Khemu: Child grows up". Sify. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Kunal Khemu does cameo in Mr Joe B. Carvalho | Bollywood News | Hindi Movies News | News". Bollywood Hungama. 12 December 2013. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Soha Ali khan: Living-in with Kunal Khemu is like being married". Movies.ndtv.com. 9 May 2013. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
- ^ "Spotted: Soha Ali Khan with beau Kunal Khemu". Mid-day.com. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu get engaged". The Hindu. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Soha Ali Khan Marries Kunal Khemu, Saif-Kareena Play Hosts - NDTV Movies". Movies.ndtv.com. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Gulkanda Tales to Heeramandi: Web series you shouldn't miss in 2024". India Today. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ "Nominations for the Filmfare OTT Awards 2023: Full list out". 22 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Awards winner". 22 October 1999. Archived from the original on 22 October 1999.
- ^ "Kunal Kemmu". Bollywood Hungama. 25 March 2021.
External links
edit
- Kunal Khemu at IMDb