Last seen in the 2015 comic-caper Guddu Ki Gun, actor Kunal Khemu returns to play the most popular character of his movie career. Yes, we are talking about the character of Laxman from the immensely successful Bollywood franchise, Golmaal. After entertaining the audience with three super funny films, the fourth instalment titled Golmaal Again released on the auspicious occasion of Diwali and emerged as the biggest opener of the year. Like previous parts, Khemu reprises the role of Laxman in the fourth part also. In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye before the release of the comic caper, Kunal talks about how does it feel to be back on the sets of Golmaal, the sequel to his another successful film Go Goa Gone and much more.
How was it to join the Golmaal family again?
It’s superb! We were always looking forward to it and it was just a matter of time when we will start the film. We are excited to see the final product but, at the same time, we are going to miss the journey that happened.
The last film was 7 years back, how did you reprise the same character and keep the consistency in Golmaal Again?
It’s a mixed emotion. When you get back, you are excited but, at the same time. you think that will I be able to do it with the same energy or not? I think Rohit (Shetty) kind of knew that. So, the other day a high intensity, full on comedy scene was happening with everyone in the cast and he sat us down and showed some chunks of Golmaal 3 and said that he wanted that level of energy. We thought how would we do this, it was 7 years ago? We talked about it. We rehearsed a little bit. So, that day it took an hour for us to get into it but once you were into it the old memory was back and became muscle memory and from there on it was a lot of fun.
How was it to work with a team with so many people with diverse roles?
Once you enter the mad world of Golmaal then you live the life of that world. In the first few minutes of the film, Rohit will make you part of that world and then you know this is what’s happening. So that’s what happened when I was approached for the third part. Everything else keeps changing but the boys remain the same. I remember the first narration itself when I heard it I was on the floor laughing. You know what’s amazing about this is that even though there are so many characters, every character stands out. I want to compliment Rohit and his writing team to be able to make a script like that where they do justice to every single person in their film and I was more than happy to be a part of it. I think it has only gotten better with the fourth one now.
Why do you think Golmaal is one of the most successful franchises of Indian Cinema?
I think because it is a joke that is well told. It is the director who has the vision and because it is also a visual form. What lens should I put? How could I make it funnier? Should I put a lens that will make his look funnier and to do the visual comedy? Or should I have a wide angle and have all the boys so I have all the physical energy? That’s where the director comes in. The writers have to make sure it’s funny on paper and yet it kind of a part of the story, it has to have a flow. Then eventually you need actors who will come and tell that joke properly. When all of these work together then you have a film that is loved and accepted by all and Golmaal is such film.
Were you confident about the role as you have done it before or was there some pressure?
Nobody is going to be overconfident about that, there is always a little bit of positive pressure when considering that this has worked once now I have to do something with it so it wouldn’t be like oh he was better in the third one or he did exactly what he did in the third one. So what can I do differently? You are always trying to be on your toes and consider how will we make this work? They not only have to like it but also feel it was worth the wait.
You have done different brands of comedies like Go Goa Gone, bit when you come to Golmaal what is it that’s different?
There is a different kind of mood of humour between both the films. Go Goa Gone has different characters, set in zombie land kind of a place whereas this is more commercial and pan India. I feel that Go Goa Gone was still a very urban film but a film like Golmaal Again reaches out to everybody in the country. Age is no bar, religion is no bar, everybody will like it. There is a different energy to this film.
So, when are you guys going to start shooting for Go Goa Gone 2?
It’s still some time. We still have to get a right script. I am just happy that we have reached a place where we all said that we are going to make it. That is a very special film to me because I am kind of one of the creators of the film so it’s like my baby. There was a time when nobody wanted to touch that baby and now people are saying when we are going to watch that film again. I am very happy to hear that, I feel very proud.
Will the sequel to Go Goa Gone be the continuation of the first story or there will be a completely different story?
We have a couple of ideas but we have not yet locked out on any particular one. It’s too early to answer that question because it could be either, but the principle characters will remain the same and their quirks will remain the same. The story may or may not be the same.
Was there a memorable moment in the entire journey of the film Golmaal Again which you would want to relive?
When you are on set like these there are so many of them. That is why we say it’s an insane experience; we want to relive it because every day has something to offer. You are laughing so much and you are enjoying small things. It’s like when ten friends get together, after ten minutes somebody will wink at somebody, then someone will pull another one’s leg or some story would come up by anyone or sometimes someone will pull small pranks on each other and some other times the pranks get creative.
