Bollywood movie veteran Anupam Kher took a trip down the memory lane and shared a few portfolio pictures on Instagram. Kher took these portfolio pictures of himself in 1981 when he came to Mumbai. The actor also shared that he took the portfolio pictures at the office of Rajshri Films to pitch them for a role in any of their movies.
Here’s what the actor wrote on Instagram-
“Story of these pics; I came to the city of Mumbai on June 3rd 1981 to make it in the movies! I left this portfolio pic with the office of @rajshrifilms on the 15th June, 1981 for consideration for any role in their films. I had no particular place to stay. So gave the address of my #NationalSchoolOfDrama friend @k.razdan.”
The actor also added, “In the last 40years I have done four blockbuster films with them. My debut film #Saaransh (1984) #HumAapkeHaiKaun (1994) #Vivah (2006) and #PremRatanDhanPayo (2015). I was really shocked and touched when #GuptaJi of @rajshrifilms sent me this pic last week as a memory and a token of their love. They are amazing. Jai Ho!!”
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The actor’s last venture was ‘The Accidental Prime Minister” where he played the character of former Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh. According to reports, Kher will be featured in a political drama titled ‘The Kashmir Files’ which is going to be directed by Vivek Agnihotri. The film will also star another actor of the same era as Kher, Mithun Chakraborty.
Last year in May, Anupam Kher completed “36 years in the world of entertainment”. The actor shared the jubilant news on Instagram where he reminisced his years in the Bollywood industry. He also shared a video of small video vignettes of his performances from films he worked in those 36 years.
Kher in the caption of the video wrote, “My 36th birthday in Movies! My 1st film #Saaransh directed by #MaheshBhatt Saab was released on 25th May, 1984. I was 28 and played a 65 years old man #BVPradhan. I complete 36 years in the world of entertainment today. It has been an incredible journey so far. God has been and so have been my producers/directors. Most of all it is you, my audiences who have given me so much love and strength. I am humbled and blessed. THANK YOU!!”
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Top 3 Anupam Kher movies (in no particular order)
Khosla ka Ghosla!
Although Anupam Kher over the years worked in films where he played the role of comic relief, he has also proven that he is equally stellar when it comes to playing dramatic roles. Khosla ka Ghosla is one such example.
The National Award winner film revolves around Kher playing the titular role of KK Khosla, a nervous, middle-class man who is the owner of a plot and gets trapped in the world of land scams. In the film, he depicted middle-class problems every middle-aged man goes through while fighting the real-estate mafia Khurana played by Boman Irani. The film also has a rich cast of Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Tara Sharma and more.
Without a single dull moment, the nervous mumbling energy of Anupam Kher shone bright and made us all chuckle and relate to him in his journey of having a plot, to losing a plot, to win it back.
A Wednesday
A Wednesday showcased the dilemma of a “common man”, the unjust nature of life, and the tenacity of Indian police. The film starred Naseeruddin Shah playing a common man (his name was not revealed in the movie) who is pushed to a tipping point where he decides to play a proficient puppeteer of terrorists.
On the other hand, Anupam Kher plays the character of Police Commissioner Prakash Rathod, an assertive, no-nonsense policeman who is serving his last few days as the police chief before “common man” pushes him to make tough choices. The fast-paced-thriller has enough stellar performances by Shah, Kher, and Jimmy Shergil that one would find it difficult to leave the seat once the movie starts.
The ending of the film is a beautiful tear-jerking moment. Watch it today before someone gives you the spoiler.
Bonus tip: Watch out for Anupam Kher’s physical confrontation with a criminal in jail.
Saaransh
Saaransh remains one of the greatest and outstanding works of both Mahesh Bhatt and actor Anupam Kher. The movie was also a debut of Kher and such was the performance of the veteran actor that director Bhatt went on record and said he’d “pay out of his own pocket to watch Anupam perform” in the movie.
The film starring Kher, Alok Nath, Soni Razdan is responsible for shattering stereotypes around patriarchy, extramarital relationships, and more. Kher in the movie starred as B.V. Pradhan, a school headmaster who takes on local goon-cum-politician to protect his young paying guest who’s carrying the politician’s son in her belly.
The movie sees Kher’s character standing up to the politician without any judgment for his paying guest and eventually dismantling the politician’s sinister plans. Saaransh also deals with themes like grief, reincarnation and attaining peace by moving on from a tragedy. The Bhatt directed film was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards for 1985.
