[ Indu Chukhu ]
After the huge success of Family Man 1 and Family Man 2 web series, the much-awaited Family Man Season 3 was out last Friday. This time most of the scenes have been shot in the Northeast, particularly Nagaland and Kaziranga in Assam.
The seven-episode series tells the story of drugs and insurgency in the Northeastern states, giving special attention to Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in its storyline.
Arunachali poster boy in Bollywood movie Bhediya, Paalin Kabak, has an important role in the series. He plays the role of Stephen Khuzou, who is the leader of a rebel group known as MCA-S party. He plays the role of the grandson of David Khuzou, a prominent local leader cooperating with the Indian government to sign peace talks.
Speaking to this daily, Kabak shared how playing Stephen Khuzou has been a deeply meaningful journey for him. “Stepping into his world wasn’t just about portraying a character but carrying a perspective that is often overlooked in mainstream narratives,” he said.
“Stephen serves as an important link in the series -someone through whom the audience discovers layers of truth and emotional grounding – and bringing him alive meant understanding the quiet weight, dignity, innocence, and resilience he holds,”Kabak said.
Speaking about his experience of portraying Stephen, Kabak said, “What made the experience even more special was the responsibility of representing a Northeastern story on an international platform – a chance to honour the voices, silences, and strength of the people I grew up around. It feels empowering to be part of a narrative where the Northeast isn’t a backdrop but a vital pulse in the storytelling, and I truly hope I have delivered justice to both the role and the community I am proud to belong to.”
Speaking about how he landed the role, Kabak said,that according to what he was told, finding the right actor to portray Stephen was one of the toughest searches for the casting team, which was handled by the Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company, one of the leading casting companies in India. The entire casting for the series was handled by the company.
“They (the casting company) looked across the country for someone who could bring a very specific honesty and presence to the role. And then, one fine evening, this guy from Itanagar walked in and cracked it in one take,” Kabak chuckled.
“The audition felt instinctive; the moment I read the script, I tried to locate even a small part of myself in Stephen Khuzou, and that tiny bit of connection sparked into something much bigger, something that eventually led me to the role,” he said.
On his preparation for the role and the challenges he had to undergo, Kabak said, “The preparation for the role was both rigorous and deeply immersive, mentally as well as physically.”
He began by researching the various rebel groups operating in the region – understanding their causes, their movements, their history, and most importantly, their perspectives without any sense of judgement.
“I spoke one-on-one with a few retired rebels as well, listening to their personal experiences and the emotional realities behind their choices, which gave me a much deeper, human understanding of the world Stephen Khuzou comes from. I went through articles, interviews, and whatever material I could find to build an honest psychological and emotional base for the character. Since Stephen is in his late 30s to early 40s, I also worked on adjusting my physicality – gaining a bit of weight while simultaneously training to maintain agility. I even worked with a Nagamese dialect coach to speak the language fluently and authentically. These entire processes together finally shaped the person you see in the web series as Stephen Khuzou.”
Kabak features in Episodes 1, 3, 6 and the final Episode 7. His Nagamese accent in the series and the way he portrays his character as a rebel leader fighting for one’s land is organic, and one who sees it can feel its pulse.
On being asked on how it was working with eminent directors Raj and DK, Kabak said, “DK was the one mostly present on set during our schedule, along with the associate directors. What struck me immediately was how calm, chilled out, and receptive he is. He gives you space to be yourself and to find your own rhythm in a scene, which really helps an actor. I met Raj only during the trailer launch event, and even in that brief interaction, he came across as warm and very grounded. Working with them feels easy and instinctive, and that makes a huge difference.”
Speaking about his experience sharing on-screen space with Manoj Bajpayee, he said: “It truly felt like a masterclass in acting – the kind you can’t put a price on. I’ve learned so much simply by watching him take on such a wide range of powerful and memorable roles over the years, and the day I attended his workshop in the NSD was the day I began dreaming of sharing the screen with this legend – a distant dream of a young artist coming true. To stand opposite him today feels both inspiring and humbling, and it’s an experience I’ll always carry with me.”
On the biggest takeaways from the project, he said, “When you learn to genuinely give respect and space to your co-workers, irrespective of hierarchy or stature, you create an environment where everyone feels free to give not just their best but their soul out. I witnessed that energy on set every day, and it’s something I’ll carry with me into every future project.”
From Arunachal, actors Milo Sunka, Riken Ngomle, Solomon Sangchoju, Ligang Sulu, and Tumken Sora, and child actor Riyan Mipi also feature in the series.
