Kunal Kemmu Reveals Reason Behind Directing Madgaon Express – News18

Actor Kunal Kemmu is making his directorial debut with the comedy film Madgaon Express, slated for release this weekend. The movie features Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi, Avinash Tiwary and Nora Fatehi. It revolves around three childhood friends embarking on a trip to Goa that unexpectedly leads them into the world of drug trafficking. While Kemmu is already well-established as an actor, challenges in his career prompted him to venture into directing Madgaon Express. In a recent interview, he revealed that creating this film served as a means for him to address and cope with his mental health struggles.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Kunal Kemmu disclosed that following his success in the film Go Goa Gone, he felt compelled to embark on a personal venture, leading to his directorial debut with Madgaon Express. Reflecting on the journey, he expressed, “I had self doubt while I was writing it, but only got love from the first time I presented it. At the time I was told that with the way I have written it, I should also direct it.” Encouraged by feedback suggesting he should also direct the project due to his unique approach, Kemmu admitted he initially felt unprepared.

Sharing about his struggles as he was writing Madgaon Express, Kunal Kemmu said, “I wanted to see if I can write something really funny when I am not feeling my best, when I am not feeling funny or humourous. That’s when I wrote the synopsis of the film and a couple of scenes kind of stood out and it helped me get out of that phase. That’s just how it is.”

Discussing his experiences and challenges within the industry, Kunal remarked, “An actor’s life is never smooth sailing.” He believes that handling the situation in the right manner involves maintaining a balanced perspective.

However, he acknowledged, “It is easier said than done actually but I remember this particular moment when I was feeling like that and I just said to myself that I want to use this (time) not to feel sad but (better myself).”

Kunal added during the interview that Madgaon Express got him out of the phase where he was struggling with his mental health and gave him something to do even if it was not a commissioned project. “I was doing it for myself. It was making me feel happy. Every time I wrote a nice scene it gave me something to do through the day and made me feel happy by the end of the day and I slept better.”

Kunal expressed contentment with his writing process and said that he found satisfaction in his work by the end. He mentioned feeling satisfied with his writing in the end. He wrapped up by saying that during tough times, having conversations and believing in positive outcomes can make a big difference in mental health.