Kunal Khemu

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Kunal Khemu
Khemu in 2014
Born
Kunal Ravi Khemu

(1983-05-25) 25 May 1983 (age 40)
OccupationActor
Years active1987–present
Spouse
(m. 2015)
Children1
Relatives

Kunal Khemu (born Kunal Ravi Kemmu; 25 May 1983) is an Indian actor and filmmaker who works in Hindi cinema.

Early life and background

Kunal Ravi Kemmu was born in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India on 25 May 1983 into a Kashmiri Pandit family to actors Ravi Kemmu & Jyoti Kemmu.[1] 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 shifted to Jammu after the Insurgency in Kashmir during the 1990s. Later, his family stayed in Mira Road area of Mumbai, Maharashtra. He finished his schooling from N. L. Dalmia High School in Mira Road; and later attended SVKM's Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Vile Parle for his further studies. He now lives in Khar, Mumbai.

His grandfather, Moti Lal Kemmu (original spelling of last name) is a Kashmiri playwright and a recipient of several awards by the government of Jammu and Kashmir: Rashtra Bhasa Prachar Samiti, Sahitya Akademi award in 1982 for his contribution to Kashmiri literature as a playwright and Padma Shri.[2]

Career

Kunal 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 movie Sir (film) (1993). He went on to star as a child artist in movies including Raja Hindustani, Zakhm, Bhai, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Dushman.

He played the male lead in the 2005 film Kalyug, which was directed by Mohit Suri.[3] 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 installment 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 .[4]

ZEE5 team will go on the release the Abhay Season 2[5] in September 2020 and the streaming will be in October 2020. Kunal Khemu playing main role in this web series. This series directed by Ken Ghosh. He will return as the investigating officer in Season 3 as well.[6]

Personal life

Khemu with his wife Soha Ali Khan at a party in 2016

Khemu was in a relationship with actress Soha Ali Khan since May 2013.[7][8] 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.[9][10]

Discography

Song Year Album Composer
"Babaji Ki Booti" 2013 Go Goa Gone Sachin–Jigar
"Hum Yahin" 2024 Madgaon Express Ankur Tewari;
Kunal Khemu
"Bohot Bhaari" Sharib-Toshi

Filmography

Films

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 director and screenwriter

Television

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[11]

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Filmfare OTT Awards 2023 Best Actor: Comedy Pop Kaun? Nominated [12]
Screen Awards 1998 Best Child Artist Zakhm Won [13]
2014 Best Dialogue Go Goa Gone Nominated [14]
Best Performance in a Comic Role - Male Nominated
Stardust Awards 2006 Superstar of Tomorrow - Male Kalyug Won

References

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Kashmiri Playwrights". Ikashmir.net. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  3. ^ Subhash K Jha (21 December 2005). "Kunal Khemu: Child grows up". Sify. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Abhay Season 2". webseriesreviews.com. 4 May 2020. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Abhay 3: The Cast Of Kunal Kemmu Starrer Expand As Vijay Raaz, Rahul Dev, Vidya Malavade Join The Show". Koimoi. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "Spotted: Soha Ali Khan with beau Kunal Khemu". Mid-day.com. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu get engaged". The Hindu. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "Gulkanda Tales to Heeramandi: Web series you shouldn't miss in 2024". India Today. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Nominations for the Filmfare OTT Awards 2023: Full list out". 22 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Awards winner". 22 October 1999. Archived from the original on 22 October 1999.
  14. ^ "Kunal Kemmu". Bollywood Hungama. 25 March 2021.

External links