You know they are ageing in reverse when you see Kay Kay Menon and Vinay Pathak looking dapper in their chic attires, as they sit down with mid-day to chat about the upcoming show, Special Ops 2, helmed by Neeraj Pandey. Calling them versatile is an understatement, considering their vast body of work and how they seamlessly become their characters — Himmat Singh and Abbas Sheikh, respectively. While they are yet to watch the show, the two actors confidently tell us that they are already blown away by the filmmaker’s expertise in “weaving fiction and making it almost seem real.”
Excerpts from the interview:
Were you as impatient as the viewers for Special Ops 2?
Kay Kay Menon: It was ready six months back. We were just waiting for the JioHotstar merger to happen. Almost two-and-a-half years ago, we had finished season 1.5. So, this bit of wait time is expected, especially for a show of this massive scale.
Artificial intelligence and cybercrimes are on the rise. Have you ever personally been victims of it? Does that worry you?
Vinay Pathak: Not really. You get calls selling insurance or credit cards every now and then, but we know now [to be careful]. We haven’t been a victim yet. It makes you wary, but you cannot be panic-stricken about it all the time.
KKM: It’s as worrisome as your house getting burgled on one fine day. The aura around the risk depends on how much you amplify it. The lock was invented to keep thieves away, but they found a way out, so we moved to digital locks. It’s the same thing here — anything that is technology-oriented, it’s always possible for someone to break through. You eventually find devices to curtail it.
Neeraj Pandey
How big is Special Ops this season?
VP: It feels fantastic to be a part of [something] this big and exciting. The best is that it is really thrilling. Sometimes, I can’t believe that I am an integral part of that madness.
KKM: When I saw the trailer, I was blown away by it.
Was any part of the story inspired by real-life incidents?
VP: I think that is best answered by Neeraj Pandey. But I think he is very good at weaving fiction and making it almost seem real.
How easy or difficult was it to go back into the world of Himmat Singh and Abbas Sheikh, and what new did you learn about your characters?
KKM: The new thing came with the script, of course, which I cannot reveal. Ultimately, it all depends on the writing, and Neeraj is brilliant in that department. So that was taken care of. Each time I come for a new season, the only thing I look forward to is to see what he has done now. That’s the most exciting part for me as an actor. As for Himmat Singh, I know him now quite well, since we’ve also done his backstory.
VP: I know that I am going to read a new story with the references of what has already been established. It’s always exciting to read how and what story we are telling this time.
Pandey is known for taking single and long shots and keeping his action real. How easy is it to manage that?
KKM: We are both theatre actors, so we usually do everything in one take only. It is not a threat to us. It is, in fact, very good because a certain continuity is maintained that you need not induce later for a different cut. So, I don’t think that is a problem. It is all well-rehearsed.
When OTT newly emerged, there was a latent fear that it could overtake theatres and TV. Now, after so much time, do you think that fear was justified?
VP: Hasn’t it spoken for itself? OTT has been around for a while and it’s settled now. I think we love to keep these theories of theatres being affected afloat.
KKM: I believe there’s always a correction that happens. You have an inflation and then a correction. When television came in, everybody thought that cinema was done because no one was going to go to the theatres, but nothing happened. For some time, everyone had that fear, but it settled. I don’t think theatrical releases are going anywhere. Yes, the format and the way people view it might be different, but it will correct itself to cater to that audience. You will have to up the ante a bit while making [content], understanding that there are two different kinds of people who watch it. The same person becomes a different individual when he is watching something on OTT, and I can guarantee that person will not stand up and dance to Sheila ki jawani after watching it on OTT. [In theatres], it’s a mass psychology that happens. It is a party syndrome, so even if you don’t know how to dance, you will also shake your leg. As long as makers understand that and cater to it, [it will work].
While there are algorithms to check if a show is doing well, how do you gauge if your performance has landed with the audience?
VP: Hum jo kaam karte hain, woh accha hi hota hain. We don’t sit and wonder, ki woh jo kharaab kaam kiya hain, uske baarein mein log humse kya kahenge [laughs]. Our intentions are always good; we want to do a decent and honest job. That is how we look at all the jobs that one has been a part of. It’s an honest approach to how we go about our work.
Do you criticise your own performance? And did you have any for this show?
KKM: Oh, that I won’t reveal — why should I?
VP: All the time, that is the excitement. We do discuss it a lot with our shrink.
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