To Kunal Karan Kapoor, on his birthday...
I may not know Kunal Karan Kapoor as well as I know Mohan Bhatnagar, but it is difficult to stay ignorant of him once you see the display of his talent.
It started for me with the arrival of Mohan Bhatnagar at the Khajrana temple. I’ve never seen any hero onscreen behave like him: the casual, yet confident gait, the ever-messy hair, and the slight downward quirk of his lips when he’s amused... everything just added to the charm.
Even my late Grandma, who didn’t understand a word of Hindi, loved his mannerisms and used to pester me to translate the dialogues - which I used to do quite happily. It was great to watch him making fun of Guru and Renu, sharing comradeship with Nanhi, laughing aloud or enjoying a chocobar like a child, without any inhibition and then, making an effort to hide the pangs of love for Megha behind the laughter and jokes.
The way his eyes light up with wonder and the way they droop embarrassed is a treat to watch. The exasperated eye-rolls, mischievous winks, the adorable puppy-dog eyes asking forgiveness and the piercing and passionate stare….
Not many actors are blessed with the skill to speak with eyes - eyes that can deliver an intense dialogue or a light-hearted one equally, effortlessly - without uttering a single word out of their mouth.
And when he does speak, it is an added bonus : the perfect voice modulation further cements the character into the hearts of the viewers. In spite of being a non-Hindi speaker, “arre yaar”, “sunna” and “haanaa” have infiltrated my vocabulary.
One day as I was searching the internet idly, I finally recognized him as the Angad of Pratigya. I couldn’t believe my eyes! How did I not recognize before! I double, triple-checked the name of the actor. This revelation made me look up all the characters he has played so far; and that discovery left me dumbstruck.
And it was then I realized the intricacies of the magic he weaves in front of our eyes - his ability to transform into any character. As Angad, he created utter revulsion, as Yudi, he captured adoration and as Mohan, he bowled me over completely. He is a rarity - an actor who managed to bag the lead role and pulled it off excellently, after being a well-hated villain. If it were in the films, I’m sure his name would’ve gone down in history. Still, his name has got engraved in the hearts of thousands of fortunate viewers and will stay there forever.
Whenever he does emotional scenes, my mind keeps fluctuating between two things: "OMG his performance is outstanding! Just keep going!" and then, "No, I can't see you suffer..." He startled me when he exploded in anger, made me yearn to go for his help and comfort him when he became desperate and helplessness and when remorse engulfed him. The scenes in which he smile through tears created goose bumps and burned my throat with a sort of elation – it was an otherworldly feeling.
This is his magic... He simply lives the character. and strike our emotional chords perfectly, emitting deep empathy. And we become puppets - crying when he cries, laughing when he laughs...
His off-screen personality too, have influenced me greatly. Seeing his passion for photography, I too began giving time to my hobbies. And when each new picture comes, it just opens new windows to the world for me...The hardwork and dedication he puts into the roles urge me to do the same in my life...The down to earth, humble nature and the care he shows to others reassures my belief in goodness....
Leaving toes in surf’s mischief,
Losing sight in forest’s beauty,
Trapping breeze in tousled hair
You blink those camera eyes...
Even in the most unlikely place,
Beauty is discovered...
And in the darkest places,
Lamps of hope are lit...
Words fall short whenever I try to express my gratitude. When the life outside was dreary, the world he created had been a heaven for me and I can assure, for thousands of other people.
I never imagined I would be brave enough to wander into the social media network one day and share my opinions with people I have never met. But that too happened because of this urge to show my support and gratitude in some way. And I am glad.
So, here I am, using the newfound social media skills to wish him a very happy birthday....
It’s time to shake off all the blue
And write another chapter of life, brand new!
May joy and peace be in queue
May all your wishes come true
Designs in life’s fabric, may it sew
In bright colours for you to view...
And bring success in all that you brew...
Wishing a very happy birthday to you....
And more reasons to smile...
And when it is not so at times,
That flourish in that smile,
The wishes and prayers...
Lean on them for a while...
May the innocence in those eyes
Remain unaltered by time...
In all the dark corners...
The last time when NBT happened, I was ignorant of the powers of social media and shared the opinions, fun and thrill with just my best friend. But this time with DAK, I’m going to be a part of this journey from the beginning itself with so many like-minded people out here.
After all, the wait is over now: his contact with us, the audience, is re-established through Shaurya Urmi Sinha - another role in which we can hardly imagine anyone else now...That is the level to which the skills of an unparalleled actor like him takes a character.
I’m so glad that he’s back! And I have almost settled down in this show. Adjusting was not easy, but he made it easier. It’s like having an old friend guide you around in a new school; you find new acquaintances and the bond with the old one strengthens...
I began liking him through Mohan and now, through him, I’ve begun liking Shaurya too. And I’m sure Shaurya will be another beautiful journey with lots of memories to cherish the entire life.
Wishing him lots of love and happiness and a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY once more,
vaporwave
blakekathryn
kianamaiart
izzy806
germansingergirl
romaincrisis
gummygunk