He
is
one
of
the
most
versatile
yet
underappreciated
performers
in
Bollywood
but
Kay
Kay
Menon
says
he
is
optimistic
about
future
and
wants
to
leave
a
legacy
of
good
cinema
behind.
The
formula
for
that,
Menon
says,
is
that
an
actor
should
avoid
being
stereotyped
in
roles
or
genres.
"I
never
play
roles,
I
play
people.
The
reason
being
that
roles
are
finite
in
nature.
They
can
be
of
a
cop,
a
teacher,
a
professor
or
whatever.
There
is
no
point
in
doing
that," Menon
says
in
a
group
interview.
The
actor,
who
is
promoting
his
latest
film
Vodka
Diaries,
believes
there
are
only
a
certain
number
of
roles
in
the
world
but
what
makes
them
memorable
is
the
human
aspect
of
it.
"People
are
infinite,
roles
are
finite.
If
I
am
playing
Rakesh
Maria
(Black
Friday)
and
Ashwini
Dixit
(Vodka
Diaries),
they
will
be
automatically
different," he
says.
The
actor
has
a
similar
approach
towards
film
genres.
He
says,
he
does
not
bother
much
about
being
a
part
of
a
particular
genre.
"According
to
me,
any
genre
is
a
post
factor
statement.
You
can't
pre-decide
that
you
are
going
to
work
in
this
movie
or
that.
No.
That
means
you
are
limiting
yourself.
Once
you
finish
the
film,
let
the
cinema
pundits
do
their
job
of
analysing
the
film," he
says.
"I
guess
there
is
space
for
all
genres
provided
you
are
good
at
storytelling.
The
idea
is
that
we
need
to
know
how
to
tell
a
story
interestingly.
I
don't
really
care
if
that
story
is
a
thriller
or
a
love
story."
That
holds
true
for
Menon's
varied
filmography.
He
has
been
a
part
of
great
cinema
--
both
in
mainstream
and
indie
world.
He
has
been
memorable
in
films
such
as
Hazaaron
Khwaishein
Aisi,
Black
Friday,
Sarkar,
Life
in
a
Metro,
Honeymoon
Travels
Pvt
Ltd,
Shaurya,
Gulaal,
Sankat
City,
Haider
and
The
Ghazi
Attack.
On
a
question
whether
he
is
yet
to
get
his
due
in
the
industry,
the
actor
says
he
does
not
think
on
those
lines.
"I
try
not
to
think
about
it.
That's
the
best
way
to
deal
(with
it).
The
moment
you
start
thinking
on
those
lines,
then
you
open
your
door
to
frustation.
That's
not
required.
You
keep
doing
your
work
as
diligently
as
you
can
and
see
where
it
leads
because
that
is
the
only
way
to
do
it," he
says.
The
actor,
however,
has
one
hope
that
he
works
in
films
that
have
a
shelf-life
beyond
the
theatrical
release
and
are
watched
by
generations
to
come.
"My
whole
aim
in
life
is
that
my
work
should
outlive
me.
That's
my
aim.
So
you
work
towards
that
and
you
know
that
by
the
end
of
your
life,
you
have
left
a
significant
amount
of
work
which
can
be
savoured
by
generations
to
come."
In
mainstream
films,
he
has
mostly
been
part
of
multi-
starrers
but
the
actor
says
he
never
doubts
his
potential
to
carry
a
film
on
his
own.
"I
am
capable
and
I
have
got
very
broad
and
strong
shoulders
to
carry
a
film.
It's
just
that
whatever
is
offered,
if
I
feel
that
it
is
attracting
me
towards
me
then
I
go
ahead
and
do
it.
I
don't
have
any
criteria,"
he
says.
On
lighter
note,
he
says,
he
is
confident
that
"apart
from
reducing
my
height,
I
can
do
anything."
There
is
often
talk
of
how
good
content
is
finding
its
way
to
the
people
but
Menon
does
not
believe
it
can
be
called
a
"change"
just
yet.
"I
have
been
here
for
like
22
years
now.
Good
cinema
does
rear
its
head
sometimes.
Most
of
the
times
it
lies
buried
somewhere
but
it
does
rear
its
head.
Whenever
that
happens
I
am
very
happy.
"Of
late,
there
have
been
many
films
which
were
appreciated
by
the
audience,
which
is
a
hopeful
trend.
I
won't
say
it
is
a
change.
Change
happens
where
it
is
consistent
for
sometime."
Vodka
Diaries,
directed
by
Kushal
Srivastava,
and
also
featuring
Raima
Sen
and
Mandira
Bedi,
hits
the
theatres
on
January
19.
PTI