Anupam Kher outclassed Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Naseeruddin Shah in Filmfare award race Anupam Kher must have done some really great performances like Police Commissioner Rathor, in the film - A Wednesday, a brain disease patient in Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara or an alcoholic father in Daddy. Also his wicked role of Dr Dang in Karma opposite thespian Dilip Kumar is worthy and of course his comedy in films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hum Aap Ke Hai Kuan, Lamhe, Darr, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai etc are superlative but the movie that has made him immortal is indeed Saaransh. What makes Saaransh special is because when Anupam Kher did the role he was just 29 years and played a 60 plus with perfection. Secondly he had the huge responsibility to prove his talent as the film was about to be given to versatile actor Sanjeev Kumar. Hence he had to live up to the standards of Sanjeev Kumar, which was a daunting task for a new comer but Kher did it with opulence and panache! The result was that Anupam Kher won the prestigious Filmfare Award! But more than winning the Filmfare Award, what was most stunning is that Anupam Kher outscored Indian Cinema’s best actors in the Filmfare award race. Viz Amitabh Bachchan in Sharaabi; Dilip Kumar in Mashaal, Naseeruddin Shah in Sparsh! Frankly speaking these are the best performances of the trio Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Naseeruddin Shah in their careers!! But Anupam Kher won the award purely because he has outclassed the trio with his brilliant act, which evens his hard core critics could not deny.
Anupam Kher began acting by imitating his school teachers Anupam Kher began acting at the age 12 or 13 when he unknowingly began to imitate his school teacher, his father and his grandfather. He was an average student in studies and in sports hence was an ordinary boy in school. However he had a desperate curving to be noticed hence to seek attention he joined theatre in school and to his delight he won the award as the Fairest Boy. This encouraged him and he began acting in school drama and won attention of fellow students. Passion in acting led to his failure in class X Anupam Kher had to pay a heavy prize for his passion in acting. Due to his focus in acting he gave less time to study as a result he failed in class X. He was deeply shattered and wondered he would get a good thrashing from his father. But instead of thrashing, his father took him for celebration and gave him an important lesson of life. He told him that one must not take failure in negativity but must take it positively as a stepping stone for success. One must learn to face life more seriously and learn to work hard to overcome his failures. This motivated him always in his downfall. After NSD Anupam Kher to Mumbai After completing his acting course in 1978 from National School of Drama ( NSD) many of his friends came to Mumbai to make it big in Bollywood but Kher was hesitant as he had no money and he did not wanted to struggle in Mumbai. One day he saw an advertisement about the opening of a new acting school in Mumbai which was to be started by one of his Ex- NSD student. Kher called him and he gladly invited him and promised him Rs 5000 salary and free accommodation. Kher was overjoyed. The friend even promised to pick him up at Mumbai station. But when Kher arrived in Mumbai, there was nobody to receive him. Disappointed he met his friend at his house but to Kher’s dismay he declined to recognize him and shut the door on his face! Kher had just Rs 37/- in pocket. He was in a fix. Finally he shared a room with four others including the landlady with her family. The house was just a 10x10 room which separated the 4 tenants with a thin curtain. The only saving grace for Kher was the address of the house because it had an uncanny resemblance with his surname. The address read - ‘Anupam Kher, 2/15, Kherwadi, Kher Nagar, Kher Road, Bandra East’.
Anupam Kher and Kiran Kher’s marriage is a typical tale of Bollywood film Anupam Kher and his wife Kiron Thakur Singh aka Kiron Kher were theatre artist working together in Chandigarh. They were close buddies and knew each other very well. Their relation was of true friends and nothing beyond that. Hence when Kiron married Gautam Berry, Anupam Kher played an important role during her marriage. However when Kiron came to Mumbai she had lost her charm and bubbly nature. She was now mother of a son and looked unhappy in marriage. Incidentally Anupam Kher too had a rough marriage with his first wife Madhumalti and had divorced her. Thus both were in the same boat. While working together for Nadira Babbar’s play Anupam expressed his emotions’ to Kiron and she reciprocated. Thus like a typical Bollywood film their romance blossomed and the two got married in 1985 after Anupam Kher was established in Bollywood as a brilliant actor with his performance in Mahesh Bhatt’s film Saaransh, making him a star!
Anupam Kher was almost removed from Saaransh and was to be replaced by Sanjeev Kumar Anupam Kher landed in Mumbai in 1981 and till 1983 he struggled like millions of new comers who come to Mumbai with a dream. He survived doing plays at theatre and was once spotted by Mahesh Bhatt. He called him at his residence. An excited Kher reached his house with a cassette of a TV play Wapsi, in which he had played an old man. Incidentally Bhatt’s film was also based on an old man and his fight against the corrupt system. Bhatt was impressed and signed him for the film Saaransh. Anupam Kher was on cloud nine and he thus began preparing for the role. The film’s shooting was to commence on January 1, 1984 when suddenly Kher came to know that Bhatt has replaced him with Sanjeev Kumar. He was shattered and in a fist of fury he reached Bhatt’s house and confirmed the news. To his horror Bhatt confirmed but assured Kher he has another old man role for him in the film. Kher was heartbroken and like a child he broke down and began hurling abuses at Bhatt. In an interview Kher said, “I had decided to leave Mumbai but before going I wanted to curse Bhatt for showing me a dream and then breaking. But after watching my angst and my confidence to do justice to the character Bhatt Sahab immediately called Rajshri Pictures (Producers of the film) and said he will be making the film only with Anupam Kher or not make the film. Rajshri films agreed and rest is history.” After Saaransh Anupam Kher signed 57 films in one week! Saaransh was released on May 25, 1984 and was a huge box office hit! It won Anupam Kher many awards and simultaneously many movies in Bollywood. Kher in an interview said that he had signed 57 films within a week and to his fortune most of the films were super hit like Arjun, Karma, Aakhree Raasta, Tezaab, Vijay, Hatya, Pestonjee, Kaash, Sansar, Ram Lakhan etc Anupam Kher was doing all kinds of roles be it serious character roles Saaransh, Vijay, Daddy, Sansar or villain like Karma, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, Tezaab or comedy like Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Ram Lakhan etc. Anupam Kher foray into Hollywood After making a name in Indian cinema, Anupam Kher made his foray into Hollywood films with films like Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Bride and Prejudice (2004), Speedy Singh (2011), The Mistress of Spices (2006) and Lust, Caution (2007). In 2012 he co-starred in the Academy Award-winning Silver Linings Playbook. His venture into direction and production As a director Anupam Kher tried to review the golden era of the 60’s by making a clean, social and family films Om Jai Jagadish (2002) that depicted the morals of a joint family. The film failed. Hence he did not take direction again. As a producer he made a hard-hitting film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005) that fetched him special jury National Award for outstanding performance. The film did not do commercial business. Hence he quit both direction and production. His stint on TV On TV too Anupam Kher has done many shows as a Host like Say Na Something To Anupam Uncle, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka, Lead India and the recent The Anupam Kher Show - Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai in which he brought many top stars who narrated their rags to riches story thus inspiring millions of people to keep trying as hard work really pays result.
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