The Angry Young Man Is Back Source:Femina Author: Shibani Bathija

Actor Kay Kay chats with Shibani Bathija about his work and place in the spotlight.


Both are 6-foot-plus actors, contained in lanky, languid frames, and both have a smouldering intensity to match. Both are Librans with a ready wit, yet with reticent personalities. And both have entered the Hindi film industry without the silver safety net of Tinseltown fathers, the benevolence of godfathers or supermodel g-strings attached.


But where the angry young man of the 1970s gave a baritone voice to the disenfranchised youth of his time, the angry young man of 2002 is done with words and is ready to take action.


With Anurag Kashyap’s Paanch slated for release this season, the angry young man’s time has come again. And that man is lead actor Kay Kay.


A DIFFERENT PATH
As always, there is a gap between fact and fiction; and unlike the frenetic Luke he plays in Paanch, and the edgy Harilal of the play Mahatma Vs Gandhi, Kay Kay is known for being reserved and controlled in real life. And his answers, though not expansive, were also devoid of self-serving ramblings.


I discovered an actor who had left the rosy paths foretold by the possession of a B Sc in physics and an MBA, to follow a passion that has brought high praise but little work these past seven years. The struggling actor tale is old hat, one who rarely uses ‘I’ or ‘me’ in conversation is an unusual find... and a bit of a barrier in an interview.


Borrowing Kay Kay’s virtue of patience, it was best to let him take refuge in generalisations until he was ready to say more about himself.


SOUL ON FIRE
Just when I thought that there was no trace of Luke’s fire and brimstone in the actor, the first glimmer came. “What makes you angry?”I asked.


Without hesitation he replies, “Injustice. Injustice angers me the most. Towards anyone.” The eyes flashed, and the iron curtain lifted a little.


“What makes you happy?”
“Watching the sky at night, full of stars. I used to lie on top of a water tank and watch the sky. You feel sucked into it and you feel small. It makes you humble.” Not that Kay Kay needs a dose of humility.


Not once does he talk about his rave reviews for Mahatma Vs Gandhi (despite sharing the stage with Naseeruddin Shah). Neither is there mention of his stellar performance in Mahesh Mathai’s Bhopal Express. And he forgets to state that preview audiences of Paanch had just one word to describe him in the film - ‘mind-blowing’!


A NEW SEX SYMBOL?
“Women who previewed Paanch have found you very sexy as Luke. What do you think of all the female attention?” I asked.


Unexpectedly, there is a mischievous glint, and a flash of the disarming, dimpled smile, “What makes you think it wasn’t there before?” I hem and haw for an appropriate comeback as he moves on, “I enjoy it. It feels good.” Sure it does!


But even here, he attributes much of it to Luke’s character. The long hours with the personal trainer, the hair, the clothes and the energy levels were all that the character demanded. The fact that his next role for Hansal Mehta’s Chhal required the same body type, was a coincidence.


MAN OF MANY PARTS
In contrast, audiences will see him somewhat altered in Sudhir Mishra’s A Tryst With Destiny. The possibility that people may be a bit taken aback by this, doesn’t bother him too much. If they believe and love the character, his job is done.


Yet more than ‘characters’, Hindi films require actors to be dancers and stuntmen. So what about that? “The stunts in Chhal were a fulfilment of my childhood fantasies. The opportunity to do all that dishoom-dishoom stuff was great fun,” he says with a laugh.


But despite an ease with industry expectations, Kay Kay is certain he won’t do anything that doesn’t make him happy.


This claim is uttered with a quiet self-assertion that bears believing. Clearly, this man will not be pushed around. It is also clear that on the threshold of three releases, he has not forgotten the contributions of those who saw him through the rough years.


He is emotional when he mentions his wife Nivedita, and close friends Raj, Ulhas, Kamayani, Makarand Deshpande and Naseeruddin Shah. They were there when dejection due to a lack of opportunities and recognition of abilities ruled. They kept him together, body and soul, when there was no Paanch, no Chhal, and no money to pay the rent.


THE TIME IS NOW
Today, the angry young man has come of age. Bravado has been replaced by an unshakeable self-confidence; brutal honesty stands bold where image once ruled. As the aggressive Luke heralds the second coming, Kay Kay awaits the victory promised in the Chinese meaning of his name.