Anupam Kher

In his initial years till 1983 in Mumbai, Anupam Kher struggled like millions of newcomers with a dream and survived doing plays at the theatre. At one of the plays, he was once spotted by Director Mahesh Bhatt, who 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 ‘Saaransh’ was also based on an old man and his fight against the corrupt system. Bhatt was impressed and signed him for the film.

Kher felt on the 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 had replaced him with  Sanjeev Kumar. He was shattered and in a fit 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 would be making the film only with Kher or not make the film. Rajshri Films agreed and the rest is history.”

 Saaransh was released on May 25, 1984. Although the film didn't perform well commercially, but was a huge critical success and was chosen as India’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, while it was not nominated. Kher played a 60-year-old man at the age of 29, grieving his son’s death, who pleaded for the last remains of his body. The role depicted pathos and emotional depth and his portrayal of loss, courage, and moral strength won him immense critical acclaim and won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. After Saaransh, Kher signed 57 films in one week and to his fortune most of the films were super hits like Arjun, Aakhree Raasta, Karma, Tezaab, Vijay, Hatya, Kaash, Sansar and Ram Lakhan.

In K.Bhagyaraj's Crime drama Aakhree Raasta 1986, Kher co-starred alongside Amitabh Bachchan which became a hit. His next film Subhash Ghai’s ensemble actioner Karma wherein he played the ruthless villain "Dr. Michael Dang" alongside Dilip Kumar, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, and Sridevi. The film became a blockbuster hit, and Kher got noticed by the audience. The same year, he played a supporting role in Insaaf Ki Awaaz which was another commercial success. In 1987 Kher played a series of negative roles in films, such as hits Hatya, Zakhmi Aurat and the blockbuster Tezaab which became the highest-earning film of the year. In 1988, Vijay failed at the box office but won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1989 he starred in Ram Lakhan, Tridev and Chandni, all three of which were backed up with chartbuster music, emerged as massive blockbusters at the box office and were among the top five highest-grossing films of the year.

Some of his most memorable performances are -as a middle-class man in Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), and as a criminal in Special 26 ( 2013). Police Commissioner Rathor in A Wednesday! (2008), as the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh The Accidental Prime Minister (2019), a brain disease patient in Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara or an alcoholic father in Daddy. While he has excelled in doing serious character roles in Saaransh, Vijay, and Sansar, he has nailed the comic roles too in Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Ram Lakhan, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Lamhe, Darr, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He has played some of the iconic negative roles as a villain in Films like Karma, Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, and Tezaab. His film The Kashmir Files has been declared as the most iconic film in Indian cinema having gathered worldwide acclaim, and record-breaking box office collections, both at domestic and international markets. Most recently in the film Vijay 69, where he plays a sports icon winning a triathlon at the age of 69.

Stint in Hollywood, Direction & Production

Kher has worked with acclaimed international directors such as Ang Lee, David O. Russell, Woody Allen, Gurinder Chaddha and the Wachowskis. Some of his international projects include the films Silver Linings Playbook, Hotel Mumbai, The Boy with the Top Knot, The Big Sick and the series Sense 8 and New Amsterdam.

He also ventured into direction and production and made the clean, family drama Om Jai Jagadish (2002) showcasing Indian values, which failed at the box office. As a producer, he made hard-hitting films like Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005) which fetched him a special jury National Award for outstanding performance but did not do well commercially.

Television Shows

Anupam Kher has done many TV shows as a Host like Say Na Something To Anupam Uncle, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka, Lead India and 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 pays off!

Awards & Recognitions:

In 2004, Kher was bestowed the Padma Shri Award, followed by the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India, in 2016, for his distinguished service of higher order in art. He is a recipient of the IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema, was nominated for the prestigious British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), and received a record-breaking eight consecutive Filmfare Awards.

For performance in Saaransh Kher won his first National Film Award – Special Jury Award as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Critics). For his performance as a greedy father in the film Dil, Kher received his third nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. His performances in Saudagar and Lamhe earned him a Nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category for the Filmfare awards.

A Motivational Speaker & Teacher

Anupam Kher is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (USA). He was formerly the Chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the National School of Drama and Film Certification Board of India. In addition to his acting career, he established Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares in 2005, a world-renowned acting school. In 2010, he was appointed as the goodwill ambassador of the Pratham Education Foundation, which strives to improve children's education in India. In addition to his acting career, he established Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares in 2005, a world-renowned acting school. On 20 September 2021, Kher was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Philosophy of Hindu Studies by the Hindu University of America.

Anupam Kher is the only actor in the world who has staged his biography in the play Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai (Nothing is impossible) which has completed over 400 shows worldwide and is the genesis of his reputation as a motivational speaker, widely sought by corporations and educational institutions including Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Kellogg School of Management.

As a Philanthropist

He was awarded the Dalai Lama Award for his work with underprivileged children through the Anupam Kher Foundation, founded in 2008, and was also appointed as a UN Ambassador for the HeForShe campaign.