It’s been a long journey since he was a child artiste in the Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla-starrer Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke. And today, ahead of his latest release Bhaag Johnny, Kunal Khemu is married into one of filmdom’s most prominent families and has a good career going for himself.
When Kunal and Soha had started a live-in relation, many had raised eyebrows, especially given Soha’s royal lineage. But Kunal says, “The live-in relationship worked for us. The only difference after marriage and then is that we have become ‘Mr and Mrs’. Sometimes after marriage, one really gets to know his or her partner after three or four outings. But for us, we knew each other’s eating as well as living habits. We are the same couple as we were, before the marriage.”
And their married life is just like any other couple’s.
“Soha is a very balanced and intelligent girl. She does advice me at times. We do discuss films but the decision rests with the individual. We are both strong characters and so at times our fights turn volatile. But me being a Gemini, I blow hot and cold, so I usually patch up in 10 minutes,” says Kunal, adding, “But Soha is not the same; she will like to agree to disagree only after she has talked it out. Until she settles down she is like a lioness. However, I value the advice she gives me, they are useful to me.”
When asked what Soha likes about him, he says with a twinkle in his eyes, “She likes my sense of integrity and my eyes.
“Soha does not like cooking but I like to cook,” he says while talking about life at home. “And since we are in the same profession, we have the same tastes in entertainment…we like to watch the same shows on TV. The only thing that Soha is finicky about is her eating habits, which keep on changing. But we do give enough space to each other.”
About his equation with his illustrious brother-in-law Saif Ali Khan, Kunal says, “I share a great rapport with Bhai. He is very engaging in his conversations and is well-versed in so many aspects of life and the world. He jokes a lot and is humorous. We do meet occasionally as he comes over for dinner to our place and vice versa. We also bond on travelling.”
Kunal adds that there are no plans yet of the two working together in Saif’s production house.
He is also in awe of his mother-in-law Sharmila Tagore. “It will be tough to explain my relationship with her in words. I am no one to judge her. She is a mother figure to me. They are a very humble and down-to-earth family. In spite of their lineage, they do not boast about it at all. I was in awe of the family earlier, but now being a part of it, I feel they are the ‘achievers’. They are easy to talk to and are indeed very simple folks.
Talking about his upcoming film Bhaag Johnny, Kunal says, “I am happy that after almost 10 years in the industry, I am able to choose characters which I like.
