Bollywood actor Kunal Kemmu on taking a darker route with season 3 of OTT series 'Abhay'

Many know Bollywood actor Kunal Kemmu from his comic roles in Dhol, Golmaal, and more. Only few remember the actor from his childhood days when he starred in movies such as Raja Hindustani and Zakhm alongside veteran actors like Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, and many others.

Kunal’s first film in which he played the male lead came in 2005, a Mohit Suri directorial titled Kalyug. Since then, Kunal has come a long way in the Indian entertainment industry. But he is far from hanging up his boots. “I still believe that I am on this journey,” says Kunal in a conversation with City Times. “But when I look back at this point, I feel a lot of gratitude.”

“And I am thankful that I’ve had this journey, and I’ve been able to do what I love, and I’ve gotten chances.”

Kunal has also faced his share of ups and downs, frustrations, anger, and celebrations during his journey. And that’s what defines life for the actor. “I feel that every little thing, good or bad, is responsible for me being where I am today,” he says. “I am very happy with where I am today and excited about what I’m doing.”

Kunal, 38, is amped up for the release of season 3 of Abhay, a crime thriller in which the actor plays ACP Abhay Pratap Singh, an officer of the law with the mind of a criminal, who will not rest until his cases are solved. The popularity of OTT skyrocketed during the pandemic; Abhay, released in 2019 on Zee5, was already a hit before the pandemic forced theatres to shut down, giving a boost to OTT platforms. Perhaps, it added to the factors that helped Abhay return. “Theatres were shut, production had stopped, and people started looking for content and entertainment in the OTT space,” says Kunal. “And, by the time the second season came, there was a larger audience. It made season 2 a bigger hit, and that’s why we got to make season 3.”

And at the same time, Kunal has learned not to question things that are going well. “I am very happy that there are people who love the show,” said Kunal when asked about the factors that have contributed to the popularity of Abhay. “Crime is an interesting genre to watch but, obviously, you have to tell that story interestingly. So, I guess, as an actor, I am doing something right with the character, and as makers, we are doing something right with the show, and the way we are telling the story.”

A make-believe world

Many episodes from the first two seasons were based on true events, though they were dramatised and fictionalised to serve the show’s purpose. Does that change the dynamics of acting for Kunal? “You are still concentrating on the character that is at hand,” he says, but the actor recalls how, in the first couple of episodes of season one, it got a “bit heavy” because a part of his mind could not shy away from the fact that the events from the show had actually taken place in reality. “But soon, you realise that it’s a make-believe world and it is supposed to be a show that is fictional,” he adds. “You kind of reach a place where you are able to switch on and off for the job.”

Season 3 of Abhay takes off directly after the events of the second season. However, the show’s plot pivots from its predecessors. “It is heavily into the fiction space,” reveals Kunal. “We have tried to bring in a new world, which comes with the character of Vijay Raaz. It will be very different for Abhay because he has never dealt with anything like that.”

It is an on-screen reunion for Kunal and Vijay, who co-starred in Rajesh Krishnan's Lootcase (2020). Now, their roles in Abhay are in complete contrast to their characters in Lootcase. “It was interesting to share screen space with him (Vijay) in the skin of a different character in a different world,” he says, adding that Vijay, a brilliant actor, is a really “cool guy” to have conversations with.

From the promo of Abhay season 3 it looks like social media plays an important role in the show; a woman comes across a couple who turn out to be social media personalities. The couple are shown engaging in gruesome activities while putting up a show for the camera. “Social media has become a part of our lives,” says Kunal. “We have a different world and reality that we are in. Whether we like it or not, whether it is good or bad, it is there. We cannot get rid of it.”

Watch the promo below:

Abhay season 3 releases on ZEE5 Global on April 8.