Actor Kay Kay Menon emphasizes balancing emotional storytelling with market appeal in cinema, urging creators to respect audience intelligence and push creative boundaries.
Veteran actor Kay Kay Menon, recently seen in the streaming series ‘Shekhar Home’, is a popular name for his contributions to independent and middle-of-the-road cinema. Yet, Menon has a healthy appreciation for mainstream cinema, understanding that success in showbiz requires balancing artistic integrity with commercial viability.
In a recent conversation with IANS, he emphasized the importance of catering to the market while staying true to the emotional essence of storytelling.
Kay Kay Menon highlighted that, while storytelling is indeed an art of emotions, it also exists within the realm of business. “The market is always important,” he explained.
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“We are in the business of emotions, where both business and emotion play a crucial role. You can’t create films or series just for yourself. They need to resonate with an audience.” For Menon, a successful project acknowledges this dual responsibility, combining authentic emotions with market appeal to reach a broader audience.
However, Menon didn’t hold back when addressing creators who underestimate their viewers. He expressed disappointment with those who assume the audience is “dumb,” cautioning against producing content that lacks depth or respect for the viewer’s intelligence. “What is questionable is the sensibility, nothing else. It is best to assume the audience is intelligent and sensitive,” he said.
Menon believes in treating audiences with respect, assuming they bring their full awareness and intelligence to any story presented to them.
The actor underscored the need for filmmakers to avoid pandering, urging them to produce content with a foundation of respect and sensitivity. “So, if you have that as a basis, with respect for them, without thinking they will leave their minds at home, I’m very happy,” he added, leaving no ambiguity about his preference for thoughtful, well-crafted cinema.
Looking ahead, Menon is gearing up for his next project, the highly anticipated streaming series ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’, where he will star alongside actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan. Slated for release on Prime Video, the series is likely to bring Menon’s nuanced storytelling approach.
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