NEW DELHI: The first look of film star Anupam Kher playing the role of Mahatma Gandhi in Vivek Agnihotri’s movie ‘The Bengal Files’ has been revealed in Rajat Sharma’s show AAP KI ADALAT, to be telecast tonight at 10 on India TV.
Kher said, “Doing Mahatma Gandhi’s role is a dream for any actor. I had to toil hard for one year for this role. Besides losing weight, I stopped having a non-vegetarian diet and alcohol for the last one year, since August, to internalise Gandhi’s role for this movie.”
‘The Bengal Files: Right To Live’, based on the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and Noakhali riots, will be released on September 5 this year. Apart from Anupam Kher as Gandhi, it stars Mithun Chakraborty, Puneet Issar and Vatsal Seth as Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Anupam Kher lashed out at those who described “The Kashmir Files” as a propaganda film.
He said, “If you want to know my real emotion, there cannot be people more sick (ghatiya) than those who described The Kashmir Files as a propaganda film. What was shown in that movie was only 10 per cent, and what happened to the people (Kashmiri Pandits) was more dangerous. Thanks to Vivek Agnihotri, Pallavi Joshi and others, the truth that was hidden for 32 years was exposed before the world. Those who criticised that movie were frauds.”
TANVI THE GREAT
Anupam Kher spoke about his latest film “Tanvi The Great” which will be released on July 18 in theatres. It features a 21-year-old woman, Tanvi, suffering from autism, who dreams of joining the army. Kher plays the girl’s father, Col. Pratap Raina in the movie. Kher has hosted the screening of this movie for President Droupadi Murmu, the Army Chief and NDA cadets.
On ‘Tanvi The Great’, Anupam Kher said: “An autistic girl from an army family, tells her grandfather that she wants to join the army. In this inspirational movie, Tanvis is hilarious and very naughty, and she is a singer. It was shown at Cannes, London and New York film festivals, and everywhere the movie got standing ovations. Famous actor Robert De Niro came to watch the film in New York. We screened the film for 2,500 cadets of the National Defence Academy, where it got a standing ovation. Top army generals who watched the movie were moved to tears, not because it is a good film, but because it brings out the goodness in you. It’s a film made from the heart for people who have a heart.”
CAMEL URINE FOR CURING BALDNESS?
The versatile actor disclosed several interesting anecdotes from his life in Aap Ki Adalat show. Kher revealed how he was once told to try using camel urine to cure his baldness.
Kher said, “In Bollywood, I used to go to film producers to seek work. I used to show them my gold medal in acting, and they told me, You don’t have any hair. ..Maine Bahut Koshish Ki Baal Ugaane (I tried hard to grow hair). I went to Juhu beach in search of camel urine. Mujhe Kya Pataa Oont 3-4 din leta hai susu karne me (I didn’t know a camel takes 3-4 days to pass urine)..This is a fact, no exaggeration. So, every time, I used to follow the camel, carrying a plastic bag. Mujhe Nahin Pata Tha Ki Oont Jab Karta Hai Toh Barsaat Hoti Hai (I didn’t know when a camel pisses, it almost rains). Magar Kuch Nahin Hua (nothing happened). Then I tried Tibetan (medicine). Nothing happened. Yet, in spite of this, though I was bald, I was picked up by Mahesh Bhatt saheb for his movie Saaransh. Jo Nahin Hota Hai, Woh Hota Hai. (You get, even if you don’t have).”
HIS UNCLES
When Rajat Sharma told Kher that he always used to copy his uncle (Chacha Ji) whenever he went for auditions, the actor replied: “My uncle failed seven times in Class Eight. The Principal then promoted him to Class 9 on compassionate grounds because students of Class 8 used to call him ‘uncle’. In ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’, I asked Yash Chopra Ji, if I can put the pictures of my uncles on the wall who failed in their classes. Yash Ji said, Mainu Ki Farq Painda (It will not make any difference to me). Laga Do. ”
“When the scene began, I said, this is Dwarka Nath Ji, who failed seven times in Class 8. This is Brij Nath Ji, who failed 8 times in Class 9, this is Mohan Lal Ji, who also failed several times. When the film was released, I realized how I had insulted (beizzati) all my Chacha Jis. I wrote letters to all my uncles apologizing for naming them in the movie. When the film was released, all the uncles wrote back to me, ‘Thank You Beta, Tumne Hamen famous Kar diya” (you made us famous). ”
TEARS FOR HIS FATHER’S LAST WORDS
When Rajat Sharma asked whether his father used to watch his movies, Kher replied: “Mere Father Mere Sabse Bade Fan They.. He used to praise even my worse films. He didn’t like flying, he used to travel in trains. He used to tell people in his compartment, Anupam Kher is my son. His co-travellers wouldn’t believe him. There is a psychological feeling among people who wondered why the father of such a famous actor travels in trains. One day, at around 2.30 am after midnight, my father called me and said, ‘Bittu, this Malhotra saab wants to talk to you, he can’t believe I am your father’. The co-passenger told me, ‘How can we know you are Anupam Kher? Dialogue Sunao’. At 2.30 am, I recited the dialogue, ‘Rana Vishwa Pratap Singh, Dr Dang Ko Aaj Pehli Baar Kisine Thappad Maara Hai. Is Thappad Ki Goonj Jab Tak Tum Zinda Rahogey, Sunai Degi’. Then that man exclaimed, ‘Haan Ji, Pata Laga, Aap Anupam Kher Ho’.”
Kher revealed: “My father had a big tin box (sandook). Nobody was allowed to open that tin box. When my father died on February 20, 2012, we opened the box and found it contained all my press clippings from newspapers and magazines, my cards, my trophies. He used to underline even the worst reviews about me. Yeh Tha Mere Father Ki Mohabbat Mere Liye (This was my father’s love for me).”
Asked about the final days of his father, Anupam Kher disclosed: “My father starved himself to death. For him, food was like sand and water was like acid. He became very weak. Doctors advised us to take him home. I was in Goa attending David Dhawan’s son’s wedding, when my brother rang me up and asked me to come urgently. I took the first flight, and when I reached home, I found my father looking frail, lying on bed, with a pen and paper on his chest. He could not speak. He stared at me, and then started writing for nearly 10-15 minutes. When I saw the paper, there were only lines. He had no strength left to write words. I tried to soothe him by saying, ‘Papa, you are right’. He looked dissatisfied. He motioned me to come near, I put my ears close to his mouth. The man who was to die 20 minutes later, his last two words to me were: ‘Live Life’.(Anupam Kher started to weep in AKA show). What more lesson can a father give to his son? Isiliye Main Har Kshan, Har Pal, Ji Ke Dikhlata Hoon (That’s why I try to live every moment of my life)…My father was an ordinary man, he worked as a clerk in the forest department. My grandfather was an extraordinary man, he was a scholar and yoga teacher. ”
DULARI ROCKS!
Rajat Sharma: I find your mother has become a star nowadays?
Anupam Kher: Yes, she has become more popular than me. Dulari Rocks! (on instagram). My parents were married for 59 years. When a companion dies, one loses a husband, a wife, a habit, a partner. I thought, how will my mother live without my papa. Then I started making videos of my mom. One day, she told me, “Bakwas Mat Kar, Ek Thappad Padega”. So people liked somebody telling Anupam Kher such words. People began seeing their mothers in her videos. Now she tells me, people recognize me when I go to buy vegetables or go to a temple. Why are you making my videos? Ek Farq Toh Pada Hai. One realized, your parents are not part of your home furniture. ..Now more people are making reels of their mothers. Acchi Baat Hai.”
ON FILM INDUSTRY
Asked why he was mostly doing roles of father of heroines in movies, Anupam Kher quipped: “Meri Jawaani Kisi Ne Dekhi Nahin (Nobody has seen my youth). Had not Mahesh Bhatt Saab given the role of a 65-year-old man to a 28-year-old man, I would not have been sitting here (in Aap Ki Adalat). It was the biggest hand in my success. I had no other options. I used to sleep on platforms, on the beach, I had no money. Then Yash Chopra Ji gave me the role of Hema Malini’s father in the movie Vijay. I did the role of father-in-law of Rajesh Khanna, I did the role of father of Rishi Kapoor who was older than me. Mujhe Koi Farq Nahin Pada. ”
Rajat Sharma: You played Madhuri Dixit’s and Kajol’s father?
Kher: Ji. Aadmi Aaashiq Ko Chhod Deta Hai, Pati Ko Chhod Deta Hai, Baap Ko Kabhi Nahin Chhodta Hai. (A person can quit a lover, a husband, but not a father). The roles that I did were the pillars of the film. In both Tezaab and Ram Lakhan, I acted as Madhuri Dixit’s father, but the roles were different. Where do you get such variety? I am not praising myself, but I don’t want to be subtle about it. An actor like me come rarely in Hindi films. You will have to accept this, and I am not saying this arrogantly. What I did in the past in films, very people could do this. (Bahut Kam Logon Mein Dum Hai). …My strength is my audience. That is why I am in films for last 40 years. They like my character both on and off the screen. ”
WITH DILIP KUMAR
Anupam Kher revealed about his three movies with Dilip Kumar. “In Karma, I was ready for the shoot with my beard and all, as Dr Dang, when Dilip Saab in white dress alighted from his white Mercedes. I stood transfixed watching Dilip Saab, remembering films like Madhumati, Devdas, Gopi that I had seen during my teens. I had almost got my nose broken for buying a ticket for Gopi in black. Subhash Ghai took me to a corner and scolded me for watching Dilip Saab with such love and affection. ‘Tu Mujhe Marwayega, you are a villain, Don’t look at him like this’, he said. I told Subhash Ghai, ‘Anupam Kher Dilip Kumar Se Pyaar Karta Hai, Dr Dang Rana Vishwa Pratap Singh Se Pyaar Nahin Karta Hai’.
Rajat Sharma: And the slapping scene?
Anupam Kher: “While trying to impress Dilip Saab, I told him, ‘Sir aap Mujhe Asli Mein Thappad Maar Dena’. He replied, ‘Beta, Pathan Ka Haath Hai, Behosh Ho Jayega’. Later, when he saw my scene, he told Subhas Ghai, “Yeh Dangerous Actor Aaya Hai, He Will Go Far”. Mujhe Lagaa, Dilip Ji Ne Mujhe Endorse Kar Diya, Ab Duniya Ki Koi Taaqat Mujhe Nahin Rok Sakti.”
Kher recounted an incident where he was hungry because food had not arrived and Dilip Kumar teased him by saying his father used to sell fruits and he began describing how red apples tasted so sweet. “He did all this with his bare hand. This made me hungrier. I am a rich man because I worked with one of the finest people in the world. ”
WITH BIG B
Kher said: In my first film Aakhri Raasta with Amitabh Bachchan, I went to the set in Chennai, and I asked team members why the AC in the makeup room was not working. I saw Amitabh Ji with his beard and wig sitting, with a blanket over him. I asked him, ‘Sir, don’t you feel the heat with this blanket and wig, beard, shirt and trousers?’ Amitabh ji replied: “Anupam, Garmi Ke Baare Mein Sochta Hoon, Toh Lagti Hai, Nahin Sochta Hoon, Toh Nahin Lagti.” Since that day, I never used to create hungama over AC or fans. If you keep your eyes open, there is a lesson you can learn from every body.”
AAP KI ADALAT with film star Anupam Kher will be telecast on India TV tonight, Saturday at 10 pm. Repeat telecast of this show will be made on Sunday at 10 am and 10 pm.
-Based on Press Release
