Kay Kay Menon: Don't have famous last name to be the hero

Kay Kay Menon

He may have spent 20-odd years in the entertainment industry, but Kay Kay Menon displays childlike enthusiasm as he discusses The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family, an ALTBalaji series that marks his web debut.

"The show is essentially a dark comedy and it's a difficult genre to pull off. But when I read the screenplay, I was convinced. The script had no place for melodrama or heavy dialogues. A functional family is a utopian idea. Here, we are showcasing a family where every character has his share of quirks and flaws, which is probably why viewers have been able to relate to the story," says Menon, who plays the brooding ex-Army officer Vikram Ranawat. Barun Sobti slips into the shoes of his younger brother and Swaroop Sampat, the family matriarch.

Though only one project-old in the digital space, the actor says the medium offers the best of both worlds - television and cinema. "While shows on television are practically endless, in films, you sometimes wish that you had one more hour to showcase everything you want to. Web lies somewhere in between, and is hence the most optimum platform to narrate a story."

His long innings in films is dotted with the choicest of roles and promising performances. He says his unusual choice of projects is his defense mechanism against an industry that is not too welcoming to rank outsiders. "I don't have a famous last name to play the protagonist. So, I work my way around it. I believe in playing people rather than categorising characters as good or evil."

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