Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 17, 2019)

While his latest offering The Accidental Prime Minister hit theatres last week, Anupam Kher is stationed in the US shooting for New Amsterdam. In keeping with his character of a neurosurgeon of Indian origin in the NBC medical drama, we hear, Kher convinced the makers to incorporate the Hanuman Chalisa in a crucial sequence of a recently-shot episode.

A source reveals, “The scene had to depict Anupam sir’s emotional state as one of his patients’ condition gets worse. It was to show him offering a silent prayer for the patient. Instead, Anupam sir suggested to Stephen Kay [director] that he could recite the devotional hymn while holding the idol of Lord Hanuman. He explained how according to Indian beliefs, it is considered as a source of strength and power.”

Talking to mid-day, the actor says that he is happy to offer such creative inputs. “I suggested incorporating the Hanuman Chalisa as I felt it would add authenticity to the scene and have a greater impact.”