'My fans won't tear my shirt'

This thinking man's actor also has a subtle sense of humour. Kay Kay Menon gets cracking.
I am really happy that Black Friday has at last released. I wish Paanch, also by Anurag Kashyap, had released. It is a really dark film. The film could have been a landmark in Indian cinema," said actor Kay Kay Menon, a trifle wistfully. "But Paanch has taught me to be passionately dispassionate," said the actor.
For a person who made his acting debut on stage at the age of 9, did a stint in advertising, then again came back to acting because it is his 'calling', life has been a learning experience. That's why despite the adulation and the success Kay Kay prefers to stay grounded. "I know I have fans who admire my work, but they won't tear my shirt," he says with a smile, adding, "If that ever happens, I will wear shirts made of canvas."
Kay Kay's sense of humour is as subtle as his acting style. When he tells you that he is a member of Chawanni Cricket Club, you cannot help but laugh. The actor immediately explains the more serious connotation of the name. "It is said that you might give 75 annas of yourself but 25 annas or a chawanni will always be yours. It stands for your values and integrity. A number of stage and screen actors are part of our club and we are very serious about our game," he said.
No wonder the actor believes in giving his 100 per cent in whatever he does. He did quite a few shows of the play Mahatma Vs Gandhi with Naseeruddin Shah. "When I do stage, the most engaging part is the rehearsal." On TV he did Saturday Suspense and Star Bestseller. "Since I wasn't doing serials, I wasn't a part of the viewer's drawing room everyday. So the transition into films wasn't difficult," he said candidly.
After doing a spate of critically acclaimed performance-oriented roles Kay Kay has now Honeymoon Travels, Drona and Via Darjeeling to look forward to. Ask him if there is a difference between an actor and a star, and he says, "Stars are governed by box office collections. An actorstar is the best combination. That's Amitabh Bachchan."
amrita.mukherjee@timesgroup.com