Kunal Khemu (born Kunal Ravi Kemmu on May 25, 1983) is an Indian film actor.
Kunal Khemu (born Kunal Ravi Kemmu on May 25, 1983) is an Indian film actor.
Background and early life
Kunal Ravi Kemmu was born on May 25, 1983, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, into a Kashmiri Pandit family to actors Ravi Kemmu and Jyoti Kemmu. He is the couple^/s older child, with a younger sister named Karishma Kemmu. He grew up in Srinagar and attended Burn Hall School, but he moved to Jammu after the insurgency in Kashmir in the 1990s because he was a Kashmiri Hindu. His family later settled in the Mira Road neighborhood of Mumbai, Maharashtra. He graduated from St.xaviers High School in Andheri East and went on to study at SVKM^/s Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Vile Parle. He currently resides in Khar, Mumbai.
Moti Lal Kemmu (original spelling of last name) is a Kashmiri playwright who has received several awards from the government of Jammu and Kashmir, including the Rashtra Bhasa Prachar Samiti, the Sahitya Akademi award in 1982 for his contribution to Kashmiri literature as a playwright, and the Padma Shri.
Private life
Khemu has been dating actress Soha Ali Khan Pataudi since May 2013. The couple married in a private ceremony in Mumbai on January 25, 2015, in the presence of selected members of Soha^/s family. He is related to the Pataudi family through his marriage to Khan. On September 29, 2017, Khan gave birth to their daughter Inaaya Naumi Khemu.
Career
Kunal made his debut as a child actor in Ved Rahi^/s Doordarshan TV series Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (1987). He made his acting debut in Mahesh Bhatt^/s film Sir (film) (1993). He went on to appear in films such as Raja Hindustani, Zakhm, Bhai, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Dushman as a child artist.
In the 2005 film Kalyug, directed by Mohit Suri, he played the male lead. The pornography industry inspired Kalyug. Madhur Bhandarkar^/s Traffic Signal, released in 2007, starred him as a street-smart money lender who lends money to poor families but always gets it back with interest.
Dhol was his second release in 2007, and he once again played lead. He played a double role in his only film, Superstar, released in 2008. He appeared in Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge and Jai Veeru in 2009. He appeared in the comic-thriller 99 in 2009. In 2010, he appeared in Golmaal 3 as Laxman in a supporting role.
In 2012, he starred in Mukesh Bhatt^/s Blood Money as Kunal Kadam, an honest and hard worker who is unknowingly led into the dark side of the diamond trade by his boss. He appeared in the Zombie comedy film Go Goa Gone, which was released on May 10, 2013. Both films performed well at the box office.
After a two-year hiatus, Kunal returned to the big screen in 2015 with the thriller Bhaag Johnny, about a man who can live two lives thanks to the help of a Jinn, played by director Vikram Bhatt. Despite beginning filming in 2013, the film was released on September 25, 2015 to mixed reviews and low box office collections. The comedy film Guddu Ki Gun, in which Kunal co-stars with Sumeet Vyas, was his second release of the same year. In 2017, he appeared as Lord Indra in the animated film Hanuman: Da^/ Damdaar. He also reprised his famous role of Laxman Sharma in the fourth installment of the Golmaal (film series) titled Golmaal Again. He played a notable antagonist in Malang and received critical acclaim for his performance in Kalank.
The ZEE5 team plans to release Abhay Season 2 in September 2020, with streaming beginning in October 2020. Kunal Khemu is the main character in this web series. Ken Ghosh directed this series. In Season 3, he will also return as the investigating officer.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Sir | Kunal | Film Debut (Child actor) |
| Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke | Sunny | ||
| 1994 | Naaraaz | Sunny | |
| 1996 | Raja Hindustani | Rajnikant | |
| 1997 | Tamanna | Young Sajid | |
| Bhai | Kisna | ||
| 1998 | Zakhm | Young Ajay | Screen Award for Best Child Artist |
| Dushman | Bheem Bahadur Singh | ||
| Angaaray | Young Amar | ||
| 2005 | Kalyug | Kunal P. Darr | Film Debut (Lead actor) |
| 2007 | Traffic Signal | Silsila | |
| Dhol | Gautam Sisodia (Goti) | ||
| 2008 | Superstar | Kunal Mehra / Karan Saxena (Twins) | |
| 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 | |
| 2014 | Mr Joe B. Carvalho | Himself | Special appearance |
| 2015 | Bhaag Johnny | Janardhan "Johnny" Arora | |
| Guddu Ki Gun | Gowardhan "Guddu" Prasad | ||
| 2017 | Hanuman: Da^/ Damdaar | Lord Indra | Voice role |
| Poster Boys | Himself | Special appearance | |
| Golmaal Again | Laxman Sharma | ||
| 2018 | Simmba | Himself | Special appearance |
| 2019 | Kalank | Abdul Khan | |
| 2020 | Malang | Michael Rodriguez | |
| Lootcase | Nandan Kumar | ||
| 2023 | Kanjoos Makhichoos | Jamuna Prasad Pandey |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–present | Abhay | SP Abhay Pratap Singh | ZEE5 | 3 seasons |
| 2023 | Pop Kaun? | Sahil | Disney+ Hotstar | 6 episodes |
Television
| Year | Series | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Gul Gulshan Gulfaam | TV Debut as a Child actor |
| 1989 | Chitra Kathaien | 1 Episode ″Jhoot ka Aalam″ |
Short Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Haircut | Himself | Special appearance |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Film | Category | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Zakhm | Best Child Artist | Screen Awards | Won |
| 2006 | Kalyug | Superstar of Tomorrow - Male | Stardust Awards | Won |
| 2014 | Go Goa Gone | Best Dialogue | Screen Awards | Nominated |
| Best Performance in a Comic Role - Male | Nominated |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Kunal Khemu |
| Nickname | Chotu |
| Profession | Actor |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 168 cm in meters- 1.68 m in feet inches- 5’ 6” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 65 kg in pounds- 143 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 40 inches - Waist: 30 inches - Biceps: 15 inches |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film (As a Child Actor): Sir (1993) Film (As a Lead Actor): Kalyug (2005) TV: Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (1987) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 25 May 1983 |
| Age (as in 2022) | 39 Years |
| Birthplace | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Taurus |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, India |
| School | Niranjanlal Dalmia High School, Mumbai |
| College/University | Amity University, Noida |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Brahmin (Kashmiri Pandit) |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | A flat at Sunder Villa near Linking Road, Khar, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Travelling, Cooking |
| Tattoo | • A Lord Shiva Tattoo on his leg • Inscription Om Namah Shivaya on his back |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Soha Ali Khan (Actress) |
| Marriage Date | January 25, 2015 |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Soha Ali Khan (Actress, m. 2015-present) |
| Children | Son- None Daughter- Inaaya Naumi Kemmu |
| Parents | Father- Ravi Kemmu (Actor) Mother- Jyoti Kemmu |
| Siblings | Brother- None Sister- Karishma Khemu |
| Other Relatives | Grandfather- Moti Lal Kemmu (Playwright) Father-in-Law- Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (Former Cricketer) Mother-in-Law- Sharmila Tagore (Former Actress) Brother-in-Law- Saif Ali Khan (Actor) Sister-in-Law- Kareena Kapoor (Actress) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Favourite Food(s) | Rogan Josh, Creme Brulee, Chinese cuisine, Sizzler |
| Favourite Actor(s) | Ajay Devgan, Johnny Depp |
| Favourite Actress | Kareena Kapoor |
| Favourite Film(s) | Bollywood- Andaz Apna Apna, Deewaar, Namak Halaal, Shahenshah, Omkara Hollywood- The Matrix |
| Favourite Director(s) | Anurag Kashyap, Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| Favourite Sports | Cricket, Football |
| Favourite Cricketer(s) | Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Flintoff |
| Favourite Football Team(s) | Brazil, Argentina, Manchester United, Real Madrid |
| Favourite Colour | Black |
| Favourite Restaurant(s) | Mainland China, Yokos, in Mumbai |
| Favourite Destination(s) | London, Greece |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | Volkswagen Touareg |
| Bike Collection | MV AGUSTA 1090 |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | ₹1-2 crore/film |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $3 million |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Kunal Khemu
- Does Kunal Khemu smoke?: Not Known
- Does Kunal Khemu drink alcohol?: Yes
- Kunal was born into a Kashmiri Pandit family in Srinagar but later his family settled down in Mumbai.
- His grandfather, Moti Lal Kemmu, was a renowned play writer and a recipient of Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti Award and Padma Shri.
- He started his career as a child actor in the Doordarshan TV series ‘Gul Gulshan Gulfaam‘ (1987) and in 1993 he made his film debut with Mahesh Bhatt‘s film ‘Sir‘ (1993).
- He was a popular child actor in the 90s who rose to fame with his performances in films like ‘Raja Hindustani’, ‘Zakhm’, ‘Bhai’, and ‘Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke.’
- At the age of 14, he quit acting to concentrate on his studies.
- He won various awards for his acting in theatre plays, while he was in school and college.
- His first film as a lead actor was Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Kalyug‘ (2005), which was based on the pornography industry.
- If he were not an actor, he would be a musician or a writer.
- He met Soha Ali Khan for the first time on the sets of their film ‘Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge‘ (2009), but they didn’t speak much and thought they could never become friends. The Same year, they came closer to each other during the shoot of their film, ’99’ (2009).
- His mother-in-law, Sharmila Tagore, gifted the couple, a flat worth ₹9 crore, as a ‘wedding gift.’
