Abhilash Thapliyal: It’s our responsibility to talk about the films screened at the festival rather than the looks

By:- Aakruti Bagla

Abhilash Thapliyal has been one of the most popular names when it comes to radio jockeys. However, in the past few years, he has become more popular as an actor. His neo-noir flick Kennedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap, has become the talk of the town after it was screened at the recently held 76th Cannes Film Festival 2023. Starring Rahul Bhat in the titular role and Sunny Leone as Charlie, the film got a seven-minute standing ovation at its world premiere.

Post this surreal moment, the actor exclusively interacted with Absolute India News. Excerpts:

About his character in Kennedy

As we see the teaser of Kennedy, we barely get to see a stint of Abhilash. When asked about this being intentional and more about his role, the actor shared, “I can’t talk much about my character as Anurag Kashyap will bash me (laughs). But all I can say is my character makes a big impact on Kennedy’s life.”

On receiving a seven-minute standing ovation

Sharing how surreal it was to receive a seven-minute standing ovation, the actor quipped, “I was gobsmacked. After the end credits rolled, I thought people would get up and exit. That’s what happens at our place. But to my surprise, no one stood up till the end credits rolled. That’s the kind of respect they have for the craft of filmmaking. That’s the moment I lived for, before that I was numb.”

He further said, “The whole culture of film festival is amazing. I wish something like this happens in India as well where people get a platform to showcase their films.”

On opting for Uttarakhand’s traditional attire

As the Blurr actor walked the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival 2023, he proudly carried a piece of his home state Uttarakhand through his all-black attire. Talking about why he opted for that traditional avatar, Abhilash said, “This was the first time I was walking on any red carpet. I haven’t walked on any red carpet before Cannes. Such a red-carpet debut was a big thing for me. I categorically told my designer that I won’t be wearing any suit or Tuxedo as that is not me. I wanted to take a bit of Hindustan with me.”

On the importance of awards

Talking about how he sees awards and recognition as a source of validation, the actor said, “I come from a lower-middle-class background. And so we are conditioned in a way that validation is the most important thing. But validation means nothing to me. So even though I know the futility of it, at the same time it also excites me when I get an award or someone praises me.”

On Fashion being spotlighted more than films

Abhilash shared his thoughts on what he feels about people speaking about numerous Indian celebrities heading to Cannes for fashion and not films. He also opined whether the credibility of such a prestigious festival deters. He said, “I feel rather than a festival, the credibility of the individual using it for their sake gets deterred. If you are making sure that a social media influencer trends over Martin Scorsese, it shows what one is interested in. Also, there is no problem in decking up and putting your best fashion foot forward. But you go there to watch films. I had heard that celebs walk the red carpet and then leave without watching the film. They are disrespecting films. I would like to be known for my work rather than what I wear.”

He further stated that the prestigious event had a dress code. He said, “They do have a dress code and people adhere to it because they respect that cinema. It’s not for the red carpet. Sadly, even the media is not talking about films. It’s our responsibility to talk about the films screened at the festival rather than the looks. But unfortunately, we are busy talking about the looks and who graced the red carpet.”