Kunal Kemmu may now be known for making comedy films, but one of his most memorable film stories goes back to when he was just seven. While shooting for Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Kunal had to make a choice between a school picnic and a day on a film set. The film's director, Mahesh Bhatt, eventually made the decision easier for him – with a video game.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Kunal looked back at his childhood years in films and recalled the incident from the 1993 Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla-starrer. He said his school picnic happened to fall on a day when he was required for the shoot.
Kunal's father did not want to get involved in the decision and left it to the filmmaker and the young actor. “I was all of 7. It was very weird because Bhatt sahab asked my dad how he would do this shoot, as he has a scene tomorrow. My dad just told him, ‘I am not getting into this. You guys can settle this yourselves',” Kunal recalled.
That is when Mahesh Bhatt came up with an offer that worked on the seven-year-old Kunal. The actor remembered that a Samurai video game was popular at the time, but he did not have one. The director asked him what he wanted in exchange for staying back for the shoot.
“I got bribed. There used to be this Samurai video game that was popular. He asked me, ‘What can I do for you, what can I get you that you won't go?' I said I don't have a video game, so he got me that video game,” Kunal added.
The deal, however, did not feel quite as good the next morning. Kunal could see his school from his home and watched as the picnic bus filled up with his classmates.
He said, “It was the worst deal I made because my school was visible from my home, and the next morning I could see the bus getting full with kids, and they waved at me, asking, ‘Tu nahi aa raha (You aren't coming?)'.”
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke was Kunal's second film after Sir. He went on to appear in films such as Zakhm as a child actor before returning as a lead with Kalyug in 2005, which was produced by Mahesh Bhatt.
In 2024, Kunal turned director with Madgaon Express. He is now set to return behind the camera with the spy comedy Vibe, in which he will also act. The film stars Preity Zinta, Vanshika Dhir, Dinesh Lal Yadav and Yashpal Sharma. The project e is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 18.
