Kay Kay Menon calls himself ‘Ziddi’ for overcoming early struggles in Bollywood

Actor Kay Kay Menon, currently receiving acclaim for his role in the streaming series Shekhar Home, describes himself as a ziddi (stubborn) actor.

In a recent appearance on a podcast, Menon shared his early career struggles, revealing that he felt disheartened and considered leaving the industry due to a lack of opportunities for serious actors. He thought the market was not receptive to his type of cinema, which led him to contemplate exiting the field altogether.

Menon’s perspective changed when he witnessed the success of the cult classic Satya, starring Manoj Bajpayee. The film’s success made him realize that the audience and industry were becoming more receptive to serious, unconventional roles. He said, "I was ready to leave because I thought I couldn't fit into the mainstream cinema of the 1990s. But after seeing Satya become a huge hit, I felt hopeful."

His fortunes continued to rise, and he eventually collaborated with the screenwriter of Satya, Anurag Kashyap, in The Last Train To Mahakali. However, it was his role in Sarkar that solidified his position in the industry.

Menon noted, "Before Sarkar, I would introduce myself simply as ‘Kay Kay Menon, I'm an actor’. After Sarkar, I didn’t need to do that anymore. People came to see Amitabh Bachchan, and they got an added bonus."

He also mentioned that Manoj Bajpayee often tells him that they are both very stubborn individuals, highlighting that despite many actors, perhaps even more talented than them, fading away, he and Bajpayee persisted.