Kunal Kemmu Clears Air on 'Vibe' Being a 'Pathaan', 'Tiger' Spoof

Kunal Kemmu has clarified that his upcoming spy-comedy Vibe is not intended as a spoof or parody of Bollywood spy films such as Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan or Salman Khan's Tiger. The actor is starring in and directing the film, which also features Preity Zinta and Sparsh Shrivastava in key roles. The teaser had led viewers to believe that the film was specifically poking fun at the popular spy franchises after Kemmu's character was heard referring to “Pathaan and Tiger”. However, Kemmu said the reference was part of the story and was not written as a dig at any particular film or actor.

Speaking to PTI, Kemmu explained that he had developed the story for Vibe before he became a director and had discussed the idea with friends much earlier. He said Pathaan had not even been released when he first conceived the story, making it clear that the film was not built around parodying that movie. According to Kemmu, the central idea was to explore how an ordinary person might react if suddenly pulled into the world of espionage. He said the reference to established spy characters was intended to reflect what a normal person might think in such a situation rather than mock the genre or its leading stars.

The teaser's mention of Pathaan and Tiger had nevertheless sparked speculation because both names are strongly associated with India's mainstream spy-film culture. Kemmu's character questions why the agency would involve an inexperienced person when it already has highly capable agents such as Pathaan and Tiger at its disposal. The line quickly became one of the most discussed elements of the teaser and encouraged comparisons with recent Bollywood spy thrillers. Kemmu has now said that audiences will understand the context of the dialogue more clearly after watching the complete film and seeing how the characters become involved in the mission.

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Vibe follows Kemmu and Sparsh as two friends who find themselves caught up in a high-stakes mission despite having no formal training or experience as spies. The premise allows the film to combine elements of espionage with comedy, while placing ordinary characters in situations normally associated with highly trained secret agents. Kemmu described the story as logical within its own world, even though the situations involving the characters can become exaggerated and over-the-top. He stressed that the humour comes from the circumstances and characters rather than from recreating or ridiculing another Bollywood spy film.

Kemmu also said that the film's approach to the spy genre should not be mistaken for a conventional parody. While Vibe uses familiar references that audiences can immediately recognise, he said the larger story has its own narrative and does not depend on spoofing existing movies. His explanation suggests that the mention of Pathaan and Tiger is intended to establish the characters' understanding of the spy world and the gap between professional agents and the inexperienced protagonists. The film therefore uses the popularity of the spy genre as part of its setting while developing a separate story around its central characters.

With Kemmu directing as well as playing one of the leads, Vibe marks another step in his move behind the camera after his earlier directorial work. The film's combination of espionage, comedy and an unconventional pair of protagonists has already generated interest following the teaser. Preity Zinta and Sparsh Shrivastava are also part of the cast, adding to the film's ensemble. As anticipation builds ahead of its release, Kemmu's clarification is likely to shift expectations away from a direct spoof of Pathaan or Tiger and towards a standalone spy-comedy that uses familiar pop-culture references while telling its own story.

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