Mumbai, November 12: After so many years in showbiz, one would have thought that he’d take things a bit easy. But, no, it’s the 137th stage show of his phenomenally successful play Kuch bhi ho sakta hai (Anything can happen), and Anupam Kher wants to personally ensure everything goes tickety boo.
So, in between talking to us, he gets up to inspect the stage, hares across to check the light settings, taps the microphone for a sound check and has his say on which posters should be put in the hallway.
Surely, he’s been there and done that innumerable times before, so how can it be anything but a cinch to go up there?
“For me, each time is like the first time. My play is about some seminal moments of my life. I have to relive all those moments. If I do not do that, how can I expect to reach my audiences so that they feel with me, cry and laugh with me? It’s an immensely cathartic experience. When a 73-year-old man in Chicago or young students in the audience tell me that my play has inspired them to face life headon instead of giving up on it, then I feel like the tallest person in the whole world.”
Here’s a man who’s never been busier. His second acting school in London is off to a great start, his Foundation, School of Life, is already bringing cheer to hundreds of children, his acting commitments are numerous, and he’s a regular on the lecture circuit.
So, what more? “I am looking forward to my second directorial venture sometime next year with Neeraj Pandey, who directed and scripted A Wednesday.”
Kher is also part of a Woody Allen movie. How was it working with the Hollywood legend? “A dream come true. I grew up hero-worshipping Woody Allen and knew all about his body of work and oeuvre,” he replies.
And how about Allen? “He too seemed completely up to speed where my work was concerned. We hit it off very well,” he says. Has he seen the Tamil remake of A Wednesday, and if yes, what does he think about it?
“I’ve been asked this often enough but, no, I haven’t yet seen it. You’ve two stalwarts in the film so no question that the film will be good. But from the feedback I’ve gathered, I think most prefer the original. That’s mainly because for those who’ve seen the original, the suspense, the build-up and drama are not there the second time round. They already know the denouement. So, it’s not half as exciting.”
At 54, how does Kher get the energy to juggle so many roles and excel in all of them? “It all comes from loving what one does. I am simply pursuing my various passions,” he states. Would he like to play a similar role to Amitabh Bachchan’s in Paa? “As a matter of fact I am going to do something like that, but still too early to talk about it.”
The crowd is trickling in, and Kher signals my time is up. He’s looking forward to the evening and he’s happy that the pre-show nervousness has set in. For this Piscean who places tremendous faith in the “science of astrology”, he’s still very much in tune with his own drummer.
—Agencies