Anupam Kher is about to turn 71 later this week. The actor, who has over 500 films under his belt in both Bollywood and Hollywood, is working on a new film that takes him full circle to the beginning of his acting career with Saaransh in 1984. Anupam recently revealed in an interview that he was working on a new film that would reinvent himself.
Last year, he directed his second film, Tanvi the Great, starring newcomer Shubhangi Dutt. It featured a young autistic woman named Tanvi Raina, who sets out to fulfill her late father’s dream at Siachen despite the protestations of the Indian army. Tanvi the Great is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Anupam Kher’s next film to be set in Varanasi, echoes Saaransh
In an interview with Variety, Anupam revealed that he was working on a film about a man living in Varanasi. The actor had been discussing the subject with Saaransh director Mahesh Bhat and called the new film, “Saaransh 2, basically.” He stated the character in his new version is not passive but aggressive in his thoughts. After Anupam hit his milestone birthday last year, the veteran actor felt he needed to reinvent himself.
When he was trying to break into the Hindi film industry, he played a 65-year-old character when he was only 28. Now, Anupam said he feels like a 28-year-old man and the new Varanasi-set film will focus on “a 70-year-old man who feels like a 28-year-old man.” The untitled film will be a funny thriller and have a human story. He added, “I like happy endings.”
About the film Saaransh
In 1984, Saaransh, which was co-written by Mahesh Bhatt, Sujit Sen, and Amit Khanna, was officially sent as India’s entry to the Oscars. The story followed an old couple who dealt with the death of their only son, residing in the US. Anupam played the role of the father, BV Pradhan, while Rohini Hattangadi played his wife Parvati. Soni Razdan, Madan Jain, and Nilu Phule also starred in the film.
The film won three Filmfare Awards as Anupam took home Best Actor, Mahest Bhatt Best Story, and Madhukar Shinde won for Best Art Direction. Vasant Dev also won Best Lyrics at the 32nd National Film Awards. The Hindi feature was inspired by true-life stories, and Anupam, who was then a National School of Drama alumnus, was cast in the lead role after little experience working in the film industry.