Anupam Kher’s entry into Bollywood was something however peculiar. His debut in Mahesh Bhatt’s Saaransh (1984) noticed him play a 65-year-old grieving father at simply 28, however the function practically slipped out of his palms when the movie’s producer insisted on changing him with celebrity Sanjeev Kumar.
Months of preparation virtually wasted
In an interview with The Indian Categorical, Kher revealed, “I used to be thrown out of my first movie Saaransh 10 days earlier than we had been supposed to start out capturing. I had ready for months—observing how outdated individuals walked, even sleeping with a stick beside me. Then immediately, I used to be informed I’d been changed by Sanjeev Kumar.”
Confronting the director
The actor admitted he was heartbroken and able to stop the business altogether. He packed his baggage to go away Mumbai however determined to confront director Mahesh Bhatt earlier than strolling away. “I informed Mahesh Bhatt, ‘Are you able to see that cab, it has my baggage. I’m leaving this metropolis. However earlier than I am going, I need to let you know—you’re the largest fraud on this earth. You make a movie about reality, and also you don’t have the reality in you. For six months, you made me rehearse and now you’ve thrown me out. I’m a Brahmin and I curse you.’”
Kher mentioned his outburst shook Bhatt, who instantly referred to as the producer and insisted that solely Anupam might play the function. “Joh scene isne kiya hai abhi (the scene he has accomplished simply now), solely he’ll do that movie,” Bhatt reportedly informed the producer.Saaransh, which went on to develop into one of the crucial acclaimed movies of the last decade, was even chosen as India’s official entry for the 1985 Academy Awards within the Finest International Language Movie class.