Aamir Dalvi Opens Up On Playing Silent Antagonist In ‘Kennedy’
Actor Aamir Dalvi has stepped into darker territory with Kennedy, where he essays the role of prime antagonist Salim Kattawala. While he has portrayed morally layered characters before, this marks his Bollywood debut as a full-fledged antagonist.
Reflecting on the experience, Dalvi revealed that it was not the darkness of the character but his silence that unsettled him the most. He explained that Salim does not rely on loud intimidation. Instead, he carries a quiet authority that alters the atmosphere the moment he enters a room. According to Dalvi, that silent dominance felt far more terrifying than overt aggression.
He emphasised that the real challenge lay in restraint. Rather than approaching Salim as a conventional villain, Dalvi chose to see him as a man deeply convinced of his own righteousness. That unwavering belief, he noted, makes the character dangerous. When someone stops questioning their own actions, they become capable of crossing any line without hesitation.
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Kennedy is a dark noir thriller that blurs the boundaries between morality and survival. The film stars Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in lead roles. It follows the story of an insomniac former police officer who secretly works within a corrupt system while seeking redemption in a morally fractured world.
The film is set to premiere on ZEE5 on February 20.
Dalvi, known for his extensive television work in shows such as Shapath Supercops vs Supervillains, Sanskaar Laxmi, Devanshi, Zindagi’s Bhaage Re Mann, and Aladdin, now appears poised for a significant shift in his career trajectory with this intense big-screen role.
Our Thoughts
Aamir Dalvi’s approach to Salim Kattawala signals a mature understanding of antagonism. By focusing on conviction rather than caricature, he appears to have crafted a character driven by internal belief rather than external menace. In a noir setup helmed by Anurag Kashyap, silence can often be more powerful than dialogue. If Dalvi’s performance delivers on this restrained intensity, Kennedy could mark an important turning point in his film career and add another layered antagonist to Hindi cinema’s evolving landscape.