From school plays to 40 years in Bollywood – how Anupam Kher harnessed power of failure
New Delhi: On the fifth day of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, brought Anupam Kher for a panel with students and delegates. The renowned actor took a masterclass in Goa’s Kala Academy on November 23, 2024. Speaking about the ‘power of failure’, Anupam Kher conducted the session with anecdotes and passed down his life lessons to the audience.
The actor spoke about his humble beginnings and he is an embodiment of his own failures. From his early school plays to blockbuster films at the box office, here is how Anupam Kher learnt from his mistakes and succeeded in life.
Anupam Kher’s acting journey
While speaking at the IFFI festival, Anupam Kher recalled his early beginnings in Shimla. In Shimla, Anupam Kher lived in a joint family of 14 members in a single room with his father being the only breadwinner in the family. Speaking about his childhood, Anupam Kher recalled his grandfather’s wise words, “When people are too poor, the cheapest thing to them becomes happiness.” As for acting, Anupam Kher revealed that he first acted in a school play when he was in 5th grade. Surprisingly, the actor revealed that he was awful at acting and even failed to receive a consolation prize.
Recalling another quote by his father. Anupam Kher said, “Failure is an event, never a Person’, my father taught me that day.” With these words in his mind, Anupam began his acting journey with determination. Fast forward to his arrival in the city of dreams, Mumbai, Anupam Kher then had the confidence of a National School of Drama (NSD) Gold Medal-winning young actor. However, it was not a smooth sailing journey from the get-go.
The actor spoke about the highs and lows of his journey, recalling the time he met with facial paralysis while shooting Who are you? or almost faced bankruptcy in 2004, the actor pushed through with his grandfather and father’s words in his mind. While the phrase ‘never give up’ might seem cliche, Anupam Kher’s stories are living proof of hard work, determination and resilience in the face of tragedy.
After his debut film, SaranshAnupam Kher visited the IFFI in Delhi in 1984. Four decades later, the actor stood on the stage with hundreds of film credits under his belt.
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