‘I’ve been at home for a year with no work’: Kunal Kemmu was asked to ‘do PR, send gifts’

‘I’ve been at home for a year with no work’: Kunal Kemmu was asked to ‘do PR, send gifts’ | Bollywood News - The Indian Express

Kunal Kemmu spoke about the fear of staying relevant, the creative compromises actors often make, and the periods of inactivity that are an inevitable part of the profession.

By:

Entertainment Desk

4 min read

Mumbai

Jul 7, 2026 01:09 PM IST

Kunal Kemmu in a still from Lootcase.

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Kunal Kemmu, who made a successful

directorial debut with Madgaon Express,

recently opened up about the uncertainty that comes with a career in Bollywood. Kunal, who was also recently seen hosting Prime Video’s reality show The Alliance, spoke about the fear of staying relevant, the creative compromises actors often make, and the periods of inactivity that are an inevitable part of the profession.

‘I’m not working for a long time’

Speaking to News18, he admitted that actors often find themselves torn between creative satisfaction and the need to keep working. “Sometimes you’re faced with the challenge of thinking, ‘I don’t really feel creatively fulfilled or satisfied doing this part.’ But at the end of the day, I’m not working for a long time, so I just do it because, ultimately, I’m trying to do what I need to. I think that’s something that most actors struggle with, especially when you’re not doing enough work or there isn’t enough work around. There’s often a battle between what you really want to do and the opportunities that are in front of you.”

He further explained the dilemma actors face while deciding whether to wait for the right opportunity or make the best of what’s available. “Do you just not do anything and wait until you land what you want? Or do you say, ‘Okay, let me make the best of what I have, even though this isn’t creatively 100% there for me?’ For me, I’ve always been somebody who really needs to connect with the work and enjoy it, because the only reason I became an actor, now I do other things as well, is that acting brought me joy and made me happy. That’s why I chose not to do anything else and to pursue this, and I knew what came with it. So yeah, that’s the only bit, I think, which is challenging for me, and I know for a fact it’s the same for many other actors.”

‘I’ve been at home for a year’

When asked whether he had personally experienced a lull in his career, Kemmu said such phases are a recurring reality for actors. “No, it happens all the time. I mean, now I’m busier. But there were times in my life when I went for almost two years where I was just working. Then one film doesn’t work, and sometimes I’ve been at home for six months, eight months, or even a year. And that phase can come back.”

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Kemmu also reflected on one piece of industry advice he has received over the years but never found himself following. He said many people have advised him to invest heavily in public relations and networking, but he has always preferred to let his work speak for itself. “It’s just that it hasn’t worked for me. The advice is that you must do a lot of PR and really have the PR machinery behind you, that it’s very important. Or even showing up at places, being in the right circles, hosting people, or sending gifts. I don’t think it’s bad advice. It’s just not important to me because it never really was. I’m somebody who’s instinctive, and I do what I feel is right.”

Emphasising his belief in honing his craft above everything else, he added, “And I honestly believe in working on your craft more than anything else. Because if you’re a craftsman and somebody needs you, it’s like a carpenter, right? If I need a good table made, I’ll find a good carpenter. I won’t find the most popular carpenter.”

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Kunal Kemmu was last seen in the Netflix series Single Papa.

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