Officer On Duty star Kunchacko Boban on breaking stereotypes - 'I get terribly excited when...'

Kunchacko Boban made a blockbuster debut in a leading role with Aniyathipraavu, which cemented his place as the ultimate chocolate boy hero in Malayalam cinema. But even more than a decade after the 1997 movie, Kunchacko Boban struggled to break free from that image and it was only much later that the actor was able to explore different roles and appearances. Ahead of the release of his movie Officer On Duty, Kunchacko Boban spoke about breaking stereotypes, and even by other actors. 

Kunchacko Boban in Officer On Duty  

Kunchacko Boban plays the lead role in Officer On Duty, along with Jagadish. Both the actors have been associated with one type of roles for long – Kunchacko was typecast as the lover boy, while Jagadish got tagged as a comedian. In an interview with Cue Studio, Kunchacko and Jagadish spoke about finally shedding those images.

"Actors, who get stuck in one particular image, will have this desire to do different roles. I get terribly excited when I see that evolution... liberation happens in others too," remarked the actor who plays a cop in Officer On Duty. 

Talking about his Officer On Duty co-star Jagadish, who too started getting varied roles recently, Kunchacko said, “I got really happy when I saw his performances. I even called him after seeing his films - Falimy and Rorschach. I have enjoyed (watching) the evolution of Jagadish as an actor."

Also read - Falimy movie review: Basil Joseph’s dysfunctional family drama works because of the humour and relatability 

Jagadish and Kunchako Boban have done several films together such as Nakshatratharattu and Sathyam Sivam Sundaram during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Both the actors took breaks at various points and returned to the cinema. Officer on Duty marks their reunion on screen after a hiatus.  

Commenting about this, Jagadish said that Kunchacko himself was just beginning to explore different roles. ‘So how could they accommodate me as well?” he asked.

Officer on Duty release

Officer on Duty, directed by debutant Jithu Ashraf, releases in theatres on February 20, 2025. Apart from Kunchacko Boban and Jagadish, the film also features Priyamani and Vishak Nair. Kunchacko plays cop Harishankar, while Jagadish will be seen as Chandrababu. 

Also read - 4 most-awaited Kunchacko Boban films to release in 2025