Exclusive Interview: The reinvention of Anupam Kher

In an exclusive conversation with Asianet Newsable, Anupam Kher talks about what transpired behind the success of three back-to-back box office hits, which have made him the most successful actor of 2022. He also talks about how the pandemic has changed the emotional response of the audience to a film.

Exclusive interview with actor Anupam Kher on Uunchai 2022 success, films and more

Divya Bhonsale

First Published Nov 23, 2022, 3:50 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 23, 2022, 5:07 PM IST

It would not be wrong to say that 2022 has been the year for Anupam Kher. Not one or two, but he has had three back-to-back box office hits -- 'The Kashmir Files', 'Karthikeya 2', and the recently-released 'Uunchai'. With these hit films grossing nearly Rs 500 crore in total globally, Kher has beaten the A-listers of the Hindi film industry to become the superstar of 2022!

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In a candid conversation with Asianet Newsable, Anupam Kher spoke about his 'version 2.0' and everything that transpired behind the successful 2022 that he has had. Ask him how he feels about the success of his films, and he says, "I feel humbled and proud. I feel that the phrase that I always use, 'Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai', is the manifestation of all these things. If you keep working hard, are optimistic, and are not scared of failure, then things do turn around. Of course, it is not a solo success of mine but the success of people involved in the movies."

According to Kher, what worked for these films was that they were all high on content. He says that content is the factor that draws the audience to the theatres.

"Content is king, and that has been proven this year. Star system has always been there, but it is a little tough now; if you do not have a good (content-oriented) film and you are just a star, it may not pull the audience," said the 67-year-old actor.

He further spoke about how his focus is on his present and future rather than the films that he has done in the past.

"The reinvention of Anupam Kher for 2.0 is because of not thinking about the past or what I have done or achieved. It is about what I can achieve now and how I can make my job difficult. Today, it's a golden period for actors who know their job. It has also broken the myth that only a certain kind of people can draw audiences to the theatre," said Kher, whose career spans nearly four decades.

He also talked about how not just the film industry but the audience, too, has evolved, especially since the pandemic. "What changed the audience was the pandemic and the lockdown. They watched a lot of world and regional cinema. They are allergic to fakeness now. Anything that makes them feel small, and questions their intelligence or emotional response, is not acceptable to them," Kher said.

"I am not saying that they like serious cinema now. No! There is an unknown barometer that makes them understand the difference between fake and reality. Otherwise, there is no way that a film like 'The Kashmir Files', which was a tragedy based on the genocide of Hindus, which had no songs or entertainment, could do a business of Rs 350 crore, globally," he said, adding, "the emotional response to anything in the world, especially in entertainment, has only happened after the pandemic."

Also Read: Anupam Kher on why South cinema is doing better than Bollywood

Photograph: Himmat Singh Sodhi/Special Arrangement

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