On Sunday, it will be three decades since Anupam Kher-starrer Saaransh hit the screens and catapulted his career in the Hindi film industry to new heights. The veteran actor admits the movie changed not just his life, but also his thinking.
“Saaransh was released on May 25, 1984. Tomorrow, I’ll complete 30 years in this fabulous film industry. 30 years of Saaransh. What a journey,” Kher tweeted on Saturday. “Saaransh changed my life, my thinking for ever. It made me a better person. It’s not a film, but a philosophy for me,” he added.
The actor, a National School of Drama alumnus, was only 28 when he took on the role of a retired middle class Maharashtrian man, who had lost his son, in the drama directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
Kher’s performance not just won him his first Filmfare best actor award, but the film was also chosen as India’s official entry for the 1985 Academy Award for best foreign language film.
A theatre enthusiast and two-time National Award-winning actor, the 58-year-old’s career has been eventful — with films, plays, TV and as an acting teacher.
Having featured in films such as Karma, Lamhe, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara, Khosla Ka Ghosla, A Wednesday and Special 26, the actor established himself a versatile talent, who could take on comic and serious characters with equal ease.
Kher was honoured with a special jury National award in 1989 for Daddy and his second National Film Award honour was courtesy Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara. He is also a Padma Shri recipient.
He has also featured in international movies and worked with directors such as Gurinder Chaddha, David O’Russell, Ang Lee and Woody Allen. Kher has also shared screen space with Robert De Niro in the Oscar-nominated movie Silver Linings Playbook.
On TV, he has done shows such as Say Na Something To Anupam Uncle, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka and more recently, a cameo in the Indian adaptation of 24. The actor is now making his TV production debut with The Anupam Kher Show...Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, a chat show with celebrities.
He also runs an acting school called ‘Actor Prepares’ and has written a book titled The Best Thing About You Is You.
