Horror an under-explored genre in Bollywood: Kunaal

Actor Kunaal Roy Kapur, whose latest movie "The Final Exit" is a supernatural horror film, says though the Indian audience enjoys watching horror films, the genre has not been explored properly.

Recent horror film like "Mona Darling" and "Dobaara: See Your Evil" failed at the box office this year.

Asked whether it shows that the audience is not ready to accept horror films, Kunaal told IANS: "I do not think there is anything wrong with the genre for our audience to accept, but about the treatment of it.

"In the last couple of months, films like 'Annabelle: Creation' and 'It' have done well at the box office. Audience is enjoying these films. But when it comes to Bollywood, horror is one of the under-explored genres. People think it is a genre of B-grade movies where we over-sexualize the story and have given all the wrong treatment to it.

"Horror is one of the genres where the director needs to have high skill to play with every aspect of a film, including cinematography, background score, light, special effect and characters. Unless the treatment is smart, instead of getting thrilled, people find it funny, and therefore the film does not work."

The "Delhi Belly" fame actor is known for playing quirky characters and having a good comedy timing. This is the first time Kunaal has gone out of his comfort zone to play a part in a horror film.

About his character in "The Final Exit", which released on Friday, Kunaal said: "I play a photographer who has a recurring dream of a place and people, and in search of that, he sets a road trip. And then when he reaches the place, he gets stuck and therefore looks for a way to his final exit."

Kunaal, who also directed an English language film titled "The President Is Coming" and also acted in web series like "TVF Tripling" and "Going Viral", has recently joined social media. He says he never felt the need of being out there.

"It is quite ironical that the character I played in 'Going Viral' is about a guy who runs a company that helps people to go viral on social media; and in real life, I was not on social media for the longest time. In fact, I joined Twitter this month.

"I think now being on social media is a part of the business and I am just trying my hand at it. Let's see how it goes."

--IANS

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