At 30, rapper King is already a star. The musician (and now actor) rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic with his breakthrough hit Tu Aake Dekhle. He has collaborated with some of the top artists from India and the West and has seen his songs top the charts. Now, King is stepping into uncharted territory with a lead role in the new Prime Video show, Lukkhe. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times, King talks about his non-existent acting aspirations, advice to young performers, and how he hopes to be remembered.
King on not having ‘acting ka keeda’
In Lukkhe, King plays Badnaam, a rapper who moonlights as a drug manufacturer to fund his rivalry with OG, the land’s top rapper. King calls playing such a layered, grey character a ‘privilege’ so early in his career. “I don’t know what angle or shade they saw in me that they saw Badnaam,” he says with a mild surprise in his voice. But he confesses that he never felt he could be an actor.
“I never had a keeda (urge) for acting. I made music videos for Tu Jaane Na Piya, Maan Meri Jaan, and Ishq Hua recently. I always felt I could never go there (be an actor). I felt I could never be this, so I tried to show that world in three minutes. That was all I could do. That was my little rebellion. If building this world (in films) costs crores of rupees, how can I create it myself? Yes, there is money involved (in music videos), too. But you get joy from the fact that within three minutes, we ideate and create,” he says.
King admits that it was the music videos that helped him make his acting debut. “I guess it was that creativity reached the professionals, and they felt I could do this,” he reasons. From this experience, he has a lesson for every young artist making their way into the Indian music scene. “I tell every artist who makes music, every rapper, ‘Put your thoughts in your visuals. Try to perform it 100% with the same intensity that you had while writing it’. You never know who sees that potential in what manner,” he adds.
‘Mehnat important hai’
King knows he is not the finished product in acting, but he hopes his hard work will be remembered. “All I wanted was that when this shoot gets over, whoever has worked with me should know that this boy has worked like a mule. Kisi ko acting achi lage na, but mehnat important hai (They may not like my acting, but hard work is important). That is my skill, and I keep trying to develop that.”
Lukkhe also stars Palak Tiwari, Raashi Khanna, Shivankit Singh Parihar, and Lakshvir Singh Saran. The show is streaming on Prime Video.