08 August,2026 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Komal RJ Panchal
A still from ‘Michael’. Pics/Instagram, By Special Arrangement
It was a summer of music and reacquaintance as actor Jaafar Jackson took us into his famous uncle Michael Jackson's world with the April release, Michael. Now, director Antoine Fuqua's blockbuster prepares to reach a wider audience with its Hindi release on JioHotstar on August 29, coinciding with the King of Pop's birth anniversary. For voice artiste Ketan Kavva, dubbing in Hindi for Jaafar was both "exciting and a huge responsibility".
Who did he try to stay true to - the late pop sensation or Jaafar? Kavva was clear on that count, as he told mid-day, "My focus wasn't on imitating Michael Jackson's voice. My responsibility was to stay true to Jaafar Jackson's performance and deliver the same emotion, energy, and sincerity in Hindi."
With over a decade of experience across films, OTT, anime, animation, and gaming, Kavva has voiced many beloved characters, including Tom Holland's Spider-Man in Gujarati. His work has taught him an important lesson. "My job is to adapt to the character," he emphasised.
The business of dubbing has transformed over the years. He believes the audience is now looking for authenticity, not imitation, in voice acting. "Earlier, the focus was on syncing the dialogue with the visuals. Today, the audience expects performances that feel as authentic as the original, which has pushed dubbing artistes to become actors first and voice artistes second. I focus on understanding the character's emotions, personality, and the intent behind every line. My goal is to make viewers forget they're watching a dubbed version."
