By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On His 68th Birth Anniversary
A pass out from #NSD, and born & brought up at Shimla, Anupam Kher, like many others struggled hard to find a place in films, moving from one to another studio, borrowing money from friends and spending days on railway platform for pastures new.
The actor got the needed #shot in the arm with “Saaransh” (1988), the film which eventually turned the tide for the struggling actor. The film centers round a couple played by Kher and Rohini Hattangadi whose son is killed in New York. The death disturbs him and he becomes deranged. The film has a touching scene when he goes to receive his son’s ashes at the customs house and break into tears when not respected. The film was widely acclaimed and was a welcome entry for the aspiring actor in the movies. It was followed by roles in “Utsav”, “Aitbar” & “Arjun”.
Interestingly, the actor made #Comedy as his #forte as is evident from many of his later films winning Five Filmfare Awards as a comedian for “Ram Lakhan” (1989), “Lamhe” (1991), “Khel” (1992), “Darr” (1993) and “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”(1995). A recipient of two #National and eight #Filmfare Awards, the actor has appeared in over 500 films doing a variety of roles -including emotional, social, negative and many comic roles with ease.
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Avtar Bhogal’s ‘Zakhmi Aurat’, Tezaab , Daddy ,Chandni, Parinda, ChaalBaaz, Bhrashtachar, Umar 55 Ki Dil Bachpan Ka, Shreemaan Aashique, Laadla, Lootere, Refugee, Gulshan Rai,s ‘Tridev’ & ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ are some of his other films. He also produced few films including “Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara” (2005). Also appeared on small screen and #Regional films of Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu languages including some #Englih films “Bend It Like Beckham”(2002), “Bride & Prejudice (2004) & “A Family Man”(2016) to mention three.
It would be injustice if we did not mention yet another film “Bharashtachaar”( 1989) directed by Ramesh Sippy starring Mithun, Rekha, Anupam Kher, Raza Murad, Anjana Mumtaz & debutant Shilpa Shirodkar. Journalist #Bhavani intends to expose a corrupt politician in the garb of a social worker. She, however, soon finds herself entrapped in the process of doing so. Rajnikant makes a special appearance. The film introduces Shilpa Shirodkar and as it happens with most budding starlets she was supposed to play a blind girl Gopi who is raped by Anupam Kher on a revolving bed. Though the film did average business, the rape scene became the controversial nay highlight item. He had earlier played a villain opposite thespian Dilip Kumar in Subhash Ghai’s “Karma”. “Connect” (Tamil) & “Shiv Shastri Balboa” were his latest releases.
