Kay Kay Menon, who is winning praise for Himmat Singh act in Special Ops 1.5, credits creator Neeraj Pandey for developing roles that respect actors’ calibre
A still from the series
The appreciation and attention were long overdue. Fortunately, the advent of OTT platforms has given what Bollywood — too obsessed with stars to acknowledge deserving actors — couldn’t. With Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story grabbing eyeballs, Kay Kay Menon finds himself in the spotlight. Oddly though, the actor admits feeling out of place being the centre of attention. He opens the chat with, “I am not a narcissistic person. So, for me, talking about my work becomes a bane because I can’t go on and on about what I am doing. For me, the [only thing that matters] is that the projects I do reach the audience.”
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The recently dropped Disney+ Hotstar offering turns back time to understand the genesis of Menon’s Himmat Singh, the able and sharp RAW officer we were introduced to in Special Ops (2020). Creator Neeraj
Neeraj Pandey
Pandey’s vision met Menon’s acting abilities and the finesse of prosthetics and VFX to give us a compelling thriller. “The idea was to adopt a [younger] body language and embrace the impulsiveness that comes with youth. But at the same time, we had to keep the character’s intelligence intact because it turns into wisdom in the later years.”
Also Read: ‘Kay Kay Menon reserves all his charismatic power and intensity for the screen’
Even as he is winning praise for his act, the actor believes the credit for the show’s success should go to Pandey. It is his trust in the director that led him, at 55, to play a 30-something and pull it off with aplomb. “I have blind faith in Neeraj. I know I will never be misused by him. If he has chosen me for a role, I’m assured that it will be a meaty part as he respects an actor’s calibre. He writes the parts in such an interesting way that half my job is done.”
From Ray to Special Ops 1.5, Menon is enjoying the varied roles that are coming his way, thanks to streaming giants. “OTT [has created] a level-playing field. There is no longer the problem of [not getting a proper] release. Here, the audiences have the remote in their hands; they can watch it or skip it. It leads to more parity.”
The appreciation, however, sits lightly on his shoulders. “I have a balanced approach towards success and criticism. Both can be harmful if you let them go to your head.”
Also Read: Watch video: ‘Special Ops 1.5 is bigger in scale,' says Aftab Shivdasani
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