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Anupam Kher feels ‘awkward’ when he’s called a veteran or a legend. Here’s why
The 62yearold actor says that he has been getting a lot of good work as he gets older, and he doesn’t want to stop
Five-hundred-and-ten films in a career spanning over 35 years are more than enough for Anupam Kher to be tagged a veteran, but he’s not ready for it. He’s happy being recognised as a versatile actor, and “exploring all kinds of roles and mediums” is what he aims for.
Kher recently began shooting for his yet-to-be-titled 511th film in Ranchi, and says, “There’s just so much work to do these days. I’ve been getting a lot of good work as I get older, and I don’t want to stop. That’s why I stop people from calling me a veteran or a thespian or a legend. I feel awkward... I want to do more.”
The 62-year-old actor values content more than anything else, even in big-budget multistarrer projects. Kher, who has been part of films such as Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Mohabbatein (2000) and Happy New Year (2014), says, “I love being part of big-budget films, but not for the sake of them being commercial films. I don’t want to be a part of a big-budget film in which my role doesn’t do anything.”
That’s the reason why the actor loves to work in smaller films. “I’m proud to have done a Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), and A Wednesday (2008). Neeraj Pandey was making his debut [as a director] with [A Wednesday], so it wasn’t that big a film. I’m proud to have done such projects,” he says.
In his latest project, Kher plays a judge who is about to retire. “It’s a thriller. This case is supposed to be his last case. So, in a way, it’s quite autobiographical,” he laughs.