Made in Heaven co-director Prashant Nair bows out of the second season to focus on his web series about the 1997 Delhi fire
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 7, 2020)

He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Nitya Mehra and Alankrita Shrivastava as he co-directed the much-loved Amazon Prime series, Made In Heaven, last year. However, before the second season goes on floors, Prashant Nair has made a graceful exit from the picture. The Spain-based filmmaker is instead consumed with bringing a real-life story to the screen.

"I am not part of the second season as I am working on a web series based on the Uphaar Cinema tragedy," says Nair, referring to the 1997 fire at the Delhi theatre that had claimed 59 lives and injured over 100 people. "I am the show-runner, director and creator of the series that is being developed with Endemol Shine India. It's currently in the research phase," he adds.

It has been a memorable week for the filmmaker, whose latest offering, Tryst With Destiny, won the Best Screenplay award at the Tribeca Film Festival. "The organisers kept the competition section open virtually so that [the jury] can watch the links. When they announced the win, I was in my pyjamas at 2 am, feeling remarkably unglamorous, reading Danny Boyle's lovely feedback on the movie," he laughs.

Though glad that the Viineet Kumar Singh-starrer has received acclaim, Nair feels rather disconnected from the win. "I wanted to experience this moment with my cast and crew. And damn, we didn't even get a selfie with Robert De Niro [who is the co-founder of the festival]!"

Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 28, 2020)

It is easy to fall in love with the visceral world of cinema, even easier to find touchstones of all human character in the people who inhabit it. No wonder then, that the terms “fanboy”—the Oxford Dictionary references a newspaper article to state that the term dates back to 1919 and was first used in the context of baseballand subsequently “fangirl”, have seamlessly assumed centrestage in other areas of pop culture. And even people who’re stars in their own right, aren’t immune to this phenomenon. Here, Bollywood folks recount their own fan moments:



Ali Fazal: I was at an impromptu masterclass by Robert De Niro
I was truly star-struck when I met Robert De Niro for the first time at a gathering hosted by Anupam Kher at which half of Bollywood was present, but they weren’t as smitten. Everyone in the room could tell that I was a true fan. He had come for a lit fest, but strangely, didn’t speak much. He opened up once we started to talk about acting and shared some great stories, including the making of The King Of Comedy (above). It was a priceless, impromptu masterclass, at the end of which I asked for his autograph. Before that, I had only taken Kabir Bedi’s, because my mom is a huge fan.




Kiara Advani: I stood there, gawking at Salman sir
I was smitten by Salman (Khan) sir the first time I saw him, which was on a film set at Mehboob Studio. He was sitting outside his vanity van, waiting to be called for a shot. I was 17 then and my mom nudged me to greet him. She was shocked when I didn’t say a word. I was struck dumb, literally!

I already knew him, but the aura around him was so strong. He made me comfortable and while my mother and he were sharing stories from my childhood, I just stood there, gawking.




Bobby Deol: Bought autograph book only for Kapil Dev
Thanks to my father, I was never in awe of movie stars whom I kept meeting. I love cricket though and Kapil Dev is my hero. The first time he came home, I bought an autograph book just so I could get it signed by him. I feel terrible because I have lost it since. Years later, when I was making my film debut, Sachin Tendulkar was also starting out as a cricketer. I liked his style too. I was shooting for Gupt and my producer sent me to the CCI (Cricket Club of India) to work out. I spotted Sachin there, but as I was walking towards him, he turned and walked away. Years later, when I finally met him, I told him about that day and he admitted he had walked away because he was too shy.

Bhumi Pednekar: Teared up while listening to Rani ma’am
My big fan girl moment was when Rani (Mukerji) ma’am watched Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She was one of the first few who saw the film. Growing up, I had idolised her, so, when she came out after the screening and had amazing things to say about me, I just couldn’t hold back my tears. I was already overwhelmed, it being my first film, and her words of appreciation made it much more magical.

Manoj Bajpayee: I’m still blown away by Mr Bachchan
I met Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan 21 years ago, after the screening of Satya, and was mesmerized. I’ve been fortunate to work with my childhood hero in many films but even today, I’m blown away by the way he conducts himself and his passion for his profession, which I try to emulate. I am mesmerized by his persona.

Rana Daggubati: I couldn’t stand up when he walked by
The first time I saw Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan up close on set, it was surreal. We were shooting for Department and as I had a knee injury from an action sequence, I couldn’t get up from my chair when he walked past. It was bothering me, but since he knew about the accident, he was very sweet, just the way I had imagined my hero to be, maybe beyond. His sincerity and detailing on set is something you can learn from. It’s infinite wisdom.

Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro at the The Irishman's international premiere and closing gala during the 63rd BFI London Film Festival at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in October in London. Pics/ Getty Image

Ahead of Martin Scorsese's American crime thriller The Irishman dropping on Netflix, Sunday mid-day recreates cinema history, in conversation with Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, in the same room/frame
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; November 24, 2019)

"Oh yeah, at Anupam's place, I remember," says Robert De Niro, sitting alongside Al Pacino, end-September at New York's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, as I remind De Niro about the one time he came to Mumbai, and had a full posse of Bollywood's A-list (from Anil Kapoor to Ranbir Kapoor), swarming on the floor by his feet—a picture that went viral online. Unsure if he was embarrassed by that public display of deep bhakti. He certainly didn't let on. This isn't surprising.

Between the two, De Niro, 76, comes across as the severely reserved, quiet type. Perhaps he saves public pronouncements and choicest words for his President! Pacino, on the other hand, despite age, 79, appears to have retained that slightly frazzled but youthful gregariousness we've come to admire him on screen for, over generations—one-on-one, he's far more forthcoming with opinions, and anecdotes.

The point I was trying to make with both De Niro and Pacino was if they're even vaguely aware of the sort of unparalleled weight and excitement their names—individually; forget, for a moment, together—carry across the globe, let alone in Mumbai, which is half a world away from Manhattan, where they've honed and practiced their craft since the late 1960s.

"It's a good question," Pacino mulls in his husky baritone. For him this sort of undying global admiration quite simply boils down to doors that it can open up when he's travelling. "My daughter wanted to go to Japan, you know. And I said, yeah, yeah, alright—was thinking about what we could work out. Because you really get access to things. And it's wonderful. What's better than that, right?"

Right. For De Niro, this excitement equals expectations alone. He recalls how in 2008, Al Pacino and him were in Europe together—he can't remember if it was Paris or London—and he thought in his head, "You know, it feels so nice, there're so many people; this big premiere on the street and everything. We should be able to give something to deserve this kind of adulation, or whatever you want to call it. Let's hope we can do something really special the next time that we're in this situation."

That 2008 'situation' was Righteous Kill—only the second time De Niro and Pacino shared screen (after Michael Mann's Heat). Not too many people have seen Righteous Kill. I just had, on US Netflix, before I met them. It's a buddy-cop thriller, with twists and turns that Abbas-Mustan could've pulled off on a decent day. Even as I bring it up later in the conversation, De Niro tones down while referring to it, mindful of not overtly dissing his own film.

Pacino is more elaborately realistic: "What was that thing that Paul Newman once said? He said, 'He works!' Because if he only did what he really felt good about—he'd work once in every five years. And he can't do that. As an actor, stuff comes to you. It's not like you generate your own work, although Bob [De Niro] does a lot of that. I have a little bit [of that going] in theatre. That's where my thing is. I'm pretty much half and half—I do more theatre than I do films, [especially] when I'm thinking about what to do next."

"You know, I was just thinking about this play called The Visit. Don't know if you know that one. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontane did it on Broadway. Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn did it as a movie. But it really is a play—has some surreal stuff. But then, I found out [playwright] Tony Kushner is now adapting it. So I had one idea. And it's taken! In some ways though, I'm lucky to have a go-to thing in live theatre. Maybe I'll come to your place with something once."

Okay, maybe I skipped a beat. While he can't say for sure if the thought occurred to him during the London/Paris Righteous Kill premiere—as producer, De Niro did in fact plot the making of The Irishman, having read the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. And seeing in it potential to star alongside Pacino, Joe Pesci and others, in a film directed by Martin Scorsese, with whom he's collaborated nine times—pretty much all of which, starting with Mean Streets (1973), rank among the greatest films of all time! The Irishman drops on Netflix on November 27.

Pacino, rather surprisingly (or not), had never worked with Scorsese before. How'd that go? "What can you say? It's just easy. Working with Marty [Scorsese] is like working [jumping] without a net and feeling safe. That's a good way to describe it. I'm sure that's how Bob feels too. It's why they do what they do together. And I feel that. There've been directors I've had that feeling with, but not many."

The Irishman centres on the true-life, stellar story of Teamster (truckers') Union boss Jimmy Hoffa—whose mysterious disappearance in 1975 still remains strong in American consciousness—and a truck driver, Frank Sheeran (De Niro), who became a hit-man, and Hoffa's key consigliore.

Pacino plays Hoffa, a role immortalised by Jack Nicholson in the 1992 biopic. Did he look at that closely? "No. I loved Jack. But that has nothing to do with the way I was interpreting [the part]. It only inspired me, when I saw it [and it helps]. Like it makes you say, yeah, I'm not the only one doing this. That person exists. I saw Bob Duvall do American Buffalo, I remember, on stage. I thought his characterisation is brilliant. And I'm thinking, yes, so I can do [the play] now. I won't do it like him."

Longish pause, and Pacino, ever so generous in this chat, reveals, "But I'll tell you one thing: When I saw [Paul] Muni's Scarface (1932), all I wanted to do was copy him in that performance. Of course it turns out—it always turns out—that I didn't. Don't know why I didn't. Maybe it was in the back of my head. But he gave me something with the anarchy in that performance, which was incredible. After I saw him, I said, let's do this film, you know. With Jimmy Hoffa, there was so much stuff on him. And so you watch, and you wait, and you hope to absorb."

Pacino has of course, banged it with biographical roles in the past. I recall Sidney Lumet's Serpico (1973): "I knew him—NYPD officer Frank Serpico, on whom the film's based—very well. And I studied him, and worked with him." How about Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (on an actual, failed robbery in a Brooklyn bank)? "For some reason, I didn't meet him [the person Sonny Wortzik character was inspired from]. Because I had some sort of idea [about him]. And again, he was in prison. And I didn't meet [Dr Jack] Kervorkain either. I don't know if you ever got to see that [HBO's 2010 TV film, You Don't Know Jack, on a controversial euthanasia practitioner]."

Brian De Palma's Scarface (1983). Serpico, which also somewhat got channeled into Om Puri's sub inspector Anant Velankar in Ardh Satya (1983). Dog Day Afternoon (1975). The fact that these are monuments in cinema history, having aged not a day since their release, should be lost on no one—least of all, late-millennials. In fact it's impossible to touch upon Pacino and De Niro's vast body of work, without extending it into a full-blown thesis. Suffice it for most recent relevance—arguably the best film of 2019, Jaoquim Phoenix starrer Joker is, at its core, De Niro in Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976) and The King Of Comedy (1982), rolled into one.

From even before Francis Ford Coppolla's The Godfather (1972)—that Pacino broke out into the global scene with—and Godfather 2 (1974), where De Niro and Pacino were in the same film (but never in the same frame), and which fetched De Niro his first Oscar (second was for Raging Bull), the careers of these two masters have wholly mirrored each other's.

Both method actors, having debuted in the same year (1969)— graduated from the same New York acting institutes, Actors' Studio, Stella Adler, HB Studio—were effectively the right conduits at the right time, brutally heralding the golden age of American (realist) cinema. Over years, film-buffs have been split between admiring one more than the other, but inevitably both.

At this stage in their life, I ask them how they look back at this rivalry/relationship, and how it's evolved. "Well, I think we're both happy to be still working," De Niro says. "And alive," Pacino cuts in, to add: "You know, we've been through a lot of the same things—unusual stuff happened to us in this profession. We knew each other when we were very young too—not well, but we had met. Throughout the many years of knowing each other, we had a certain comfort, when we'd meet, share certain things. It was helpful."

4 AM friends, on occasion? "Well, if I need to ask him about something, we talk about it. Or he does with me," De Niro says, defying at least at this moment that there is extreme envy among equals. There's extreme empathy too. It's also the roles that's brought them together for the third time in The Irishman—mob-boss, and his aide. You can feel a certain camaraderie/chemistry spilling over from the screen, which is heartwarming for fans.

For, The Irishman—a perfectly conclusive show-reel of Scorsese's (under)world—quite literally travels back in time, with a novel 'de-ageing' camera technology, seamlessly transforming De Niro, Pacino, Pesci and others into their younger selves. De Niro says, "Even before the de-ageing was as complete as in the final film, a few people that Marty had screened it for didn't find age getting in the way of the story. But it looks pretty good [now]. I hope audiences will go with it. And it's interesting."

Hell, yeah! How many film-buffs of my vintage (growing up in the '90s) have incessantly relived that coffee-shop scene in Michael Mann's Heat (1995)—"A guy told me one time: Don't let yourself get attached to anything you're not willing to walk out of in 30 seconds flat, if you feel the heat around the corner" (De Niro's line).

Just watched it again on YouTube—two stationary cameras flipping between over-the-shoulder shots of De Niro and Pacino. There were rumours that they hadn't actually shot the scene together. Fact is they hadn't rehearsed it together. It's the first time the two superstars were in the same movie-frame, after killing it not-so-softly, and separately, for 26 years in Hollywood. Goose-bumps cut across generations/globe.

During this interview, I similarly see De Niro and Pacino sitting a few inches away, talking not to each other, but to me. Is it out of some unconscious nervousness towards breaking ice that I ask De Niro as he walks in, dressed in thin jacket and T-shirt, and places his phone on the table, "Oh hey, you got the new iPhone 11 already (it'd just been launched)." Eh?

After the interview, Pacino, in his adorably clumsy state—in black blazer, loose black shirt buttoned down, and dark glasses—plucks the airpod that'd been stuck to his ears throughout: "I can't believe I'd been wearing this all along; man, what'd you think of me?" De Niro wraps up asking about why it's called Mumbai, and not Bombay: "What's the difference? And yeah, hope to see you soon." Yeah, sure. Just another day (or 20 minutes) at work, no? Huh!

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 19, 2019)

After essaying glamorous roles in films such as Devadasu (2006), Kick (2009), and Julayi (2012) down South, actor Ileana D’Cruz, broke the mould with her Bollywood debut. In Anurag Basu’s Barfi! (2012), the 33-year-old played the role of a sari-clad demure Bengali girl, which garnered appreciation from critics and audience alike. However, the actor feels that she is only changing the “formula, now and then”, and hasn’t yet cracked the art of choosing the right script.

So, how does her next film, Pagalpanti, fit into her film choices? “Films are art, and they’re subjective. Not everyone would love [Pablo] Picasso’s work. Films like Pagalpanti are genuinely funny and are meant to entertain you.They don’t require too much of your head, as they act as stress busters,” says Ileana. The film has an ensemble cast with actors like John Abraham, Arshad Warsi and Anil Kapoor in it. Excited to have worked with Kapoor, Ileana says, “AK is my favourite co-star. On the set, he’s always encouraging people. It’s so rare to come across people who are so passionate about their work, and that rubs off on to you. He’s like a kid in a candy store. He has been working for so long, but works as if it’s his first film. I love him.”

Lack of visibility doesn’t rattle Ileana, who is happy to take things slow. She says, “I don’t want to jump into being visible. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I know that I have the qualities of a good actor. I know there’s always room for improvement, but I don’t have the fear of missing out. A film isn’t a day’s commitment. So I wouldn’t do something that doesn’t have my heart in it.”

The actor, who has spent 13 years in showbiz, still believes that she isn’t cut out for the world of glamour. “I can’t go to every party. I need to be with people I’m comfortable with. I’ve seen some girls who can do that, and that’s great. I’m an introvert. Initiating a conversation is difficult for me. I was once sitting with Robert De Niro (actor) and Martin Scorsese (filmmaker) and though I wanted to talk, all I could manage was smile and say, hello,” she recalls.

Seven years after Barfi!, Ileana’s excited for another detour. She says, “The idea of doing a hard-hitting solo heroine film is appealing. I want to do something that challenges me, which has raw emotions. I want to do a film where the focus will not be on my looks.”

Soumya Vajpayee (BOMBAY TIMES; May 30, 2019)

Though this marks his fifth tour in India, comedian Russell Peters holds the country close to his heart. “India has always been an integral part of all my comic sets, because I feel that’s my identity. When I’m in Canada, I’m an Indian man and when I’m in America, I’m an Indo-Canadian. So, India is something that’s constant in my life. I have many memories of this place, as both my parents were from here. I’ve been doing stand-up for 30 years and I figured that this would be the best way to show the people of India that I love and respect the country,” says the popular stand-up artiste, as he sits down for a conversation with Bombay Times. He talks about how the racism and bullying he experienced as a child continues to impact him, his love for Indian audiences, why politics doesn’t interest him and Bollywood. Excerpts:

Do you keep certain things in mind while preparing a set for your shows in India?
No, India is not that crazy when it comes to content. While performing in the middle-eastern countries, you need to be a little more careful about certain things. I’ve always bragged about the fact that people in India understand my jokes better than Indians who live abroad, because they seem to be more dialled in. People in India aren’t fixated on being Indian. They already know who they are. On the other hand, the NRIs still think that the country is stuck in the year that they left it in. So, if they left in 1975, in their head, India is still in 1975. It’s 2019, and the pace here is like you guys are already in 2025.

What do you like about the Indian audience?
I find them tolerant and sharp. They always get the little intricacies, which people in a lot of other countries don’t.

Do you follow the stand-up scene in India?
No, I actually don’t watch stand-up much. I’m at the comedy club all the time, performing with the best of artistes. So, for me, to sit at home and watch more comedy would be mindboggling.

You were subjected to racist bullying in school. And now, racist jokes are an integral part of the kind of comedy you do...
I’m glad you asked this. I crack racial jokes, not racist ones. They are two very different things. Racial describes people. If my jokes come across as racist, that’s because I am breaking down racism and making fun of racists.

So, how have those bullying incidents impacted you?
To this day, it actually shapes the way I look at myself. So, if I’m self-deprecating, that’s probably because from a young age I was told, ‘You are nothing’. It stays with you, no matter how much you have achieved. It’s like the seed that was planted when you were about five years old and it grows with you.

Is there any topic that you don’t like to touch upon while performing?
I don’t touch politics at all; I don’t know anything about it. Whether it’s here, in America or Canada, I don’t pay any attention to it because it doesn’t matter who is in power; no one is really going to do anything that will help the world. We still live in a weird, self-serving time, where people don’t care about other people. I’m an empath, so I’m always caring about other people.

But politics is a favourite topic among comedians in India…
Yes, I’m sure. In the US, when you turn on the TV, every talk show is doing political material. So, why would you pay to see someone talk about something that you could have heard for free on TV? I like to take people out of that and make them look at life in a different way.

In real life, how different are you from the Russell Peters the world knows?
The on-stage version is a less filtered version of me. When you give me a microphone, the filter just drops away.

You have also done a few films…
I like acting; it’s fun. The end product, being on set and meeting famous people is fun. I’m still a fan, so when I see famous celebrities, I still geek out. I remember, I was part of a table read with Robert De Niro about a month ago in New York. He was sitting across the table and I was doing scenes with him. I was trying to stay in the moment, but in my head, I was like, ‘Holy crap, that’s Robert Dr Niro right there and he is talking to me’.

Do you follow Bollywood?
No, I know some of the celebs because they are nice to me. I know SRK (Shah Rukh Khan) and Hrithik Roshan pretty well. Priyanka (Chopra Jonas) is cool; I’m happy for her.

Have you ever been offered a Bollywood film?
Not really. I don’t think that’s my scene. I wouldn’t want a role to be wasted on me. In fact, someone who is passionate about the genre and is good at it should get the opportunity. If a good film comes my way, I wouldn’t say no. So, if Shah Rukh says, ‘Hey man! I’m working on this and I really want you,’ then I might consider it.

Deepali Singh (DNA; August 4, 2018)

Anupam Kher is currently in the Big Apple to shoot for New Amsterdam, an upcoming American medical drama TV show, in which he plays Dr Vijay Kapoor, a neurosurgeon. When we speak to him over the phone, he is looking down from the 39th floor of a building, philosophising about where life has taken him, proving that ‘kuchh bhi ho sakta hai’. “I’m here in New York, talking to you in India, about my work. It’s an achievement for a forest department clerk’s son from a lower-middle class family. Isse zyada khushi ki baat kya ho sakti hai?” he asks.

Over three decades of being a part of showbiz, numerous films and shows — both Indian and international — running an acting school, being the chairman of The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)... how does he manage to juggle all these balls and keep them from falling on the ground? “One needs to have balls to not let the balls fall!” he laughs.

However, on a serious note, the veteran actor recalls his grandfather’s words. “He used to say, ‘a busy man has time for everything’. I’m passionate about whatever I do. Happiness is something that you have to rehearse and then you get used to it. We’re constantly unhappy because we want to be somebody else. I’m happy to be myself. I don’t carry the burden of being Anupam Kher on my shoulders. It’s too tiring to do that,” says the 63-year-old.With the premiere of his American-Australian thriller, Hotel Mumbai slated to take place at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, the Padma Bhushan recipient tells us about his criteria for choosing international projects and more. Excerpts...

How was the experience of shooting Hotel Mumbai?
I think it’s one of the most beautiful films made about the human spirit. The whole world is a victim of terrorism, so it’s not a movie about the actual event (the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai). I think writer-director Anthony Maras wanted to show the compassionate side of the people of Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the metropolis through this tragic incident. Apart from that, it has a great cast and screenplay. It’s an important film for our times.

Tell us about New Amsterdam...
We had done a pilot of the show and it got picked up by NBC. It premieres next month. It’s fantastic to play an Indian doctor in an international show. It talks of the passion and compassion of six doctors who have their own personal lives, how they come together and work in this hospital called New Amsterdam. The medical drama is hopefully going to be quite big in terms of its reach and theme. I’m working with an amazing cast.

You recently posted a picture of yourself with some of the cast members, captioning it ‘friends that become a family’...
I’m with them from 7.30 am till night, so it’s like being with family. Also, I’m away from my own family. I’m not a reserved person. I like to be with people. Even when I had to find an apartment here, the estate agents showed me some secluded locations, but I told them I like to live in crowded places. I thank God the show is set in New York. I love this city’s energy and spirit.

You have acted in a number of international projects, both movies and shows. Are there lots of friends who are like family now?
That is so true because when you meet people abroad, the bonding has no interpretations. When I did Silver Linings Playbook (2012), I got Mr Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper and director David O Russell as friends. I’m happy and fortunate I got like-minded people to bond with. I can easily say that these films have given me a new dimension to relationships.

Is the criteria to green light an international project different as compared to a show or movie back in Mumbai?
I think I’ve been fortunate to get roles in films that were not only critically acclaimed but also did well commercially. You can’t do that by choice. There is no artiste in the world who has only done great work. I feel life is 10 per cent excitement and 90 per cent monotony. You have to find work and keep doing it. You can’t sit at home and say, ‘Main achhe kaam ka wait kar raha hoon’. Zindagi nikal jayegi aur accha kaam nahin aayega. But I have been lucky that projects like Bend It Like Beckham, Silver Linings Playbook, The Big Sick and Hotel Mumbai came to me. In India, working for me is not just acting in the studio. It’s also about going to my acting school and taking a class. It’s about travelling to other cities for my motivational talks or plays. When I’m in India, I want to work every single day.

You’re going to be in NY for quite a while. Apart from the show, what else do you plan to do while you’re there?
I’m thinking of doing a shorter version of my play Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai. I’m also planning to learn to play the piano, something I have wanted to do all my life. I can’t play any instrument. I met one or two teachers here and they asked me about my past experiences when it came to learning music and I said, ‘Disaster’! (laughs)

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 26, 2018)

He’s an actor who has awed the audience across the world with his performances for over three decades now. And even to this day, there is no stopping this powerhouse of talent. Having completed 34 years in cinema and 37 years in Mumbai, this BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) nominee and recipient of multiple Filmfare and National Awards tells us how his path to success was muddled with obstacles, which he turned into opportunities. The story of his life is one that resonates with every aspiring actor and most of all, with the common man. To celebrate his 37 years in Mumbai, the actor took a local train ride, and BT caught up with him to talk about his real and reel life journey. Read on...

A small-town boy, who came to Mumbai 37 years ago with stars in his eyes, is today an international actor, who was also nominated at the BAFTA this year. You have said that all this feels surreal...
I was a teacher in Lucknow before I landed in Mumbai, unlike my drama school (NSD) friends, who headed straight to Mumbai after their graduation. I didn’t want to come here without any money. So after graduation, I stayed in Delhi for a year and then took up a temporary job of teaching acting in a drama school in Lucknow. I was 23 at the time, I was earning Rs 1,200 per month and everyone called me sir. I felt if I stayed in Lucknow further, I might just settle down there, so, a year-and-a-half later, I decided to move to Mumbai. It has been 37 years since I moved to this city.

Tell us about your initial struggles, when you first moved to Mumbai?
I came to Mumbai to teach acting, as I wanted a second job that could support me financially. I didn’t believe in the concept of ‘main bhookhey pet gujara kar lunga’. Eventually, I had to do that as it turns out, the school I was going to teach in, had no concrete building to begin with. So, I taught students on the beach as there was no place to stay. I soon exhausted my friends’ houses, too. This went on for almost two years and I spent all the money that I had saved. Eventually, I was homeless and had to sleep on the railway platform. I would take the local train from Bandra to Charni Road and back to kill time and observe people.

I used to act in plays, but there was no money. When you are not educated in the same field that you aspire to make a career in, you are bound to feel intimidated. But when you are a prestigious drama school student, who understands world cinema and then find yourself sleeping on railway platforms, you feel utterly humiliated. I had no alternative but to think that I have to make it.

Did you ever feel like you were reaching your breaking point?
The easiest thing in the world is to feel disheartened and disappointed. I knew that I was a trained actor and believed that I was good. That’s what education gives you — the power and confidence to carry on. My optimism was always by my side. My grandfather once wrote to me after I told him that I was contemplating going back to Shimla. He said, ‘Bheega hua aadmi baarish se nahi darta’. That changed me. Today when I talk about it, it’s a romantic take on misery and poverty, but when it was happening to me, it made me very lonely. I feel that when giving up is not an option, you just have to make it.

To top it, at that time, a hero had to look a certain type and fit in to a kind of mould...
I was not even the best looking guy to have landed in Mumbai in the ’80s! I was a skinny young man with a balding head. What you see today is a dignified, sexy bald look. Back then, having a head full of hair was more important than talent. Today, people can say that Anupam Kher actor ban sakta hai toh hum bhi ban sakte hai. Back then, there was nobody who I could refer to, so I used to look up to Telly Savalas (American singer and actor). Even Amrish ji (Puri) used to wear wigs.

You have seen the film industry change and evolve over the past three decades. In all the change you have seen, what really stands out?
Absolutely! Back then, it took me a month to just meet somebody and then another to get an audition. Today, there are so many platforms and opportunities — social media, casting directors, agencies, managers, reality shows and the entire PR machinery. Also, cinema has changed. It isn’t stereotypical anymore. Filmmakers aren’t thinking, ‘Yeh hero ya villain ke look mein fit hota hai’. This is an era of actors. If you are a good actor, it doesn’t matter how you look. Also, realistic cinema is being appreciated. I feel cinema has evolved, because it is no longer the only source of entertainment. You are competing with malls, restaurants, multiplexes, television shows and even the digital platform. Anybody who wants to consume your cinema today sits back and asks, ‘Show me what you have made. If it is good, it will work. If not, it won’t’. Every actor has a struggle story, but in today’s times, you get far more chances. When I look back, I see a beautiful journey. If I am asked if I would want the same journey again, I’d say ‘Yes’. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I was the first actor who broke the myth of typecasting. If I did a Saaransh (1984), I also did films like Karma (1986), Ram Lakhan (1989), Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006) and A Wednesday (2008). The fact that I am not scared of failure has led me to doing projects like The Big Sick (2017), a BBC spy drama, an upcoming American TV show, as well as films like The Accidental Prime Minister.

In Saaransh, you played an elderly character, but you were just 28 years old then. While that continues to be one of your best works till date, you ended up playing a father to most actors who were almost your age later on. Do you ever regret that?
I was a beggar and beggars are not choosers. Also, only a trained actor could recognise the potential of the character that I played in Saaransh. Only an idiot will say, ‘Main buzurg aadmi ka role nahi karoonga’. You have to have confidence in yourself. If I hadn’t started off with Saaransh, I wouldn’t have survived all these years! Main gaane gaake kya kar leta? So many actors who did that in the past 34 years are nowhere today.

You have been a part of several acclaimed international films like the Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook (2012). You have even worked with the legendary Robert De Niro. How different is it to work in the West and interact with artistes from there?
English is not the language that I think in. I think in Hindi, translate it to English, and then to emotions — it’s a tough process. It is challenging for me. Sports people get to represent their country officially. When I work in the West, I feel that I am representing my country. Talking about Robert De Niro, I was watching The Godfather Part II (1974) the other day and I was amazed that this is the same guy who dines with me and sings ‘Happy Birthday’ for me! I was asked, ‘Everyone calls him Bob, why don’t you?’ I said, ‘Mere muh se niklega hi nahi’. Woh humare sanskar hai. Even their ADs call the actors by their first name. That’s their culture. Imagine Mr Bachchan saying, ‘Call me Amit’. Not that he will say that, but I won’t do it. These are the people who have inspired me. For me, Robert De Niro is the world’s greatest actor. I am always star-struck around him and people like Dilip sahab (Dilip Kumar). I have done a thesis on The Godfather (1972) as a drama school student and God has given me an opportunity to work with the actor who played the lead. I also look up to stalwarts like Ang Lee, Clint Eastwood and Woody Allen.

You will be essaying the role of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister. On the personal front, you are known to be an admirer of PM Narendra Modi. Was there any conflict of opinion?
It’s my job as an actor to ensure that I don’t bring my personal (political) philosophies to my roles. Just because you are vocal about somebody, it doesn’t mean you bring that into your performance. I cannot be dishonest with my profession. That’s not the purpose. If I have to say something, I will say it as a person and not as an actor.

Will we see you joining politics in the near future?
Nobody can talk about the future with confidence, but I have no intention of joining politics. Whatever I want to say, I will say it as an individual. The problem with people is that when you speak for the country, they feel that you are joining politics.

Your story of survival and success is fascinating. What are the key things that aspiring actors, who may have lost their faith, should keep in mind?
Failure is an event, not a person. An event fails, a person doesn’t. So, never give up. Reinvention is the name of the game. I have not used two words consciously in the past 27 years — bore and mood. Mood nahi hai and main bore ho gaya hoon. These words give you a false impression of being important. Also, you cannot place your happiness in someone else’s hands. The moment you do that, they will ensure that you stay unhappy all your life. Make your shortcomings your asset, then the world has nothing to mock you for. Speak in Hindi, eat with your hands — do what makes you comfortable. Aap khaake dikhaao meri tarah. When I go to a five-star hotel, they try to dwarf me with their culture. They ask, ‘Hot water, cold water, sparkling water or chilled water?’ I speak in Hindi with them and strike an instant bond! The world might try and make you feel small, but you have to rise above that. It’s liberating to be who you are and to be comfortable with that.

How the Hollywood veteran made Anupam Kher’s 63rd birthday unforgettable
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 10, 2018)

When Anupam Kher was invited to meet his Silver Linings Playbook co-star Robert De Niro at his Lower Manhattan residence at 5 pm on March 7, he didn’t think the meeting would last for longer than 30 minutes. The 63-year-old actor was turning a year older on the day and had planned to take the cast and crew of a series he’s filming in New York to an Indian restaurant for his birthday dinner. When Kher had touched base with the Hollywood veteran, De Niro’s office informed him that he was doing voiceovers for Martin Scorsese’s 2019 film, The Irishman, and would work out a meeting date soon. On his birthday, Kher was warmly welcomed into De Niro’s home.

“They had a meal secretly planned for me. After David O Russell, the director of Silver Linings Playbook, had been snuck into the house, the lights dimmed and Mr De Niro was called into the kitchen. I had no idea what was happening till they brought out the cake. I fought to hold back my tears,” Kher told Mirror from freezing New York, adding that apart from De Niro’s wife Grace Hightower, their daughter Helen was also present at the intimate celebration.

While Russell gifted the birthday boy the book Altman by Kathryn Reed Altman and Giulia D’Agnolo, his idol presented him with two books, New York New York by Richard Berenholtz and Pete Souza’s Obama: An Intimate Portrait. Describing the evening as “the ultimate Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai moment”, referring to the TV show he hosted, Kher said, “For the son of a forest department clerk from Shimla, every achievement comes with a multitude of emotions. The De Niros planned my birthday like I was family. For an actor, affection mostly comes from where you expect it. I never expected that this legend would sing the birthday song for me.”

Since drama school, Kher had regarded Mr De Niro as the ‘God of Acting’ and when he got the opportunity to work with him, he presented him with an idol of Lord Ganesh. “In 2011, I asked him to autograph the manuscript of my yet-unreleased book, The Best Thing About You Is You, and Mr De Niro surprised me by asking for the original manuscript for his private collection,” reminisced the actor, who did not dare ask De Niro for his contact number, writing to his office instead on his next trip to New York. “They appreciated my formal approach and invited me to his 70th birthday party which had just 20 guests. That’s when I learnt how warm and affectionate he was. Since then we’ve been writing to each other and last year, while I was promoting my last Hollywood release The Big Sick, he called me over for a Father’s Day dinner his children were hosting. “Now, I have his number too,” Kher said.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 22, 2017)

Priyanka Chopra, who is gearing up for her Hollywood debut with Baywatch in May, spent Thursday at a jury luncheon for the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Not only did the 34-year-old actress dine with Academy Award-winning actors, Robert De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg, and festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal, PeeCee also did a photoshoot for the festival bulletin and discussed the Documentary and Student Visionary Competitions, which she is judging alongside Olivia Thirlby, Ryan Eggold, Brendan Fraser and Ileen Gallagher. The festival which will run from April 19 to April 30 is being hosted by Michael Rapaport with the winners being announced on April 27 at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

"Did you know that all the paintings and artwork at the Centre are done by Robert De Niro's father?" PeeCee beamed while sharing trivia from the event. "An evening with the greats," she added, congratulating De Niro for "16 years of creativity and inspiration". The festival was founded in 2002 by Rosenthal, De Niro and Craig Hatkoff. The trio had wanted to set up a festival for a long time and announced it in response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the consequent loss of spirit in the Tribeca neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 5, 2015)


While it is known that Ajay is doing a cameo in the film, it can now be confirmed that although his screen time is just a ‘few minutes’, his character has an impact on the story and its characters.

Reveals a source from the production, “Ajay plays Aditya’s godfather. In the film, Aditya plays a painter and Ajay comes at a juncture where Adi needs him. He is more like a godfather to Adi who buys all his paintings and makes him famous.” In the 1998 Hollywood version, Great Expectations, De Niro had played the part.

Akshay Kumar on why he won’t chase festival release dates, but will continue to chase people pooping outside his house....
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; February 6, 2015)


You are the man of the moment. Baby is holding steady even in the second week. How does it feel?
It feels good. First of all, it was a honour to work with Neeraj Pandey again. He makes very good movies. He extracts stories from reality and puts them together. He is not the kind of director who watches Hollywood DVDs and makes films. He is one of the very few original writers who pens a script from his mind and makes the film. He doesn’t believe in taking inspiration from other films. His films always have a message. He is a very honest director and I feel lucky that I got a chance to work with him.

As Ajay Singh Rathore, you didn’t step out of the character even once. Knowing that you love to improvise on the sets, was this tough? Did you have to work hard on that or did you just follow Neeraj’s vision?
I just followed him. There are some movies which need improvisation like a Housefull. Even a Hera Pheri, it needs improvisation. There are some films like these where it happens... Or like when I played a cop’s role in Rowdy Rathore, then I get to improvise. But not in a film like Baby, which revolves around a sensitive and a real incident. You cannot go out of your character. I am lucky enough to work with different kinds of directors.

You have suddenly started being part of what is considered good cinema. Apart from still being part of hardcore commercial films. What’s the thought behind that?
That’s what I have done all my life. I did Special 26, 8X10 Tasveer, OMG! Oh My God...What happens is with my career, I always try to do different kinds of subjects. I don’t want to be having just one image, like after this I am doing Housefull. I think it started with Sangharsh. I used to do commercial films before because I didn’t have the mindset to do any other kind of cinema. I couldn’t relate to that, plus at that time, I just wanted to earn money and that would come only with commercial cinema. But now I am in a position where I can take risks. I can cut my price into half and do a small film with the subject of my liking, which will give me critical acclaim because it all depends on me. I am doing a film called Airlift. It’s a very serious film and I can do it now. To me nothing else matters if I like a script, I just do it. I experiment a lot with myself.

You have never had a Diwali or a Eid release. Deliberate?
I have three to four releases in a year. I am not going to wait for a Diwali release, have those big releases... I want to release my films whenever they are ready. It does matter with those kind of dates. There are too many people aiming for those festival dates, so I don’t hanker after them.

But big festival holidays ensure big bucks. Why would you not want your films to release then?
They should. But it all depends on my producers, when my films are ready and what date they want to release it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I finish my films very fast and it doesn’t make sense for my producers to wait till the festival season at the end of the year to release their films. Like, I just started Brothers and it’s almost done. I am exactly 10 days away to finishing it. I finished Main Gabbar in August, 2014. Finshed means there is no shooting left. We decided to make Brothers somewhere around September last year and we are through with it.

Was Baby the most physically exhausting film you have done?
No, Baby was not exhausting. Brothers is exhausting. It has been the most physically exhausting film I have ever worked on. The action was tough and I reharsed a lot because it was a different kind of action. Also, I had to lose a lot of weight for this role. It’s a very physical part, not emotionally draining.

Which role left you emotionally drained?
No, I am not that kind of an actor who gets into the character so much. I just don’t get too deep into a role to affect me once I leave the set. I personally feel that actors fake it when they say that they got depressed after doing a role. I don’t know what actors mean when they say ‘Arey yaar, main character ke andar itna ghoos gaya hoon that I cannot come out. It’s taken me three months to come out of the character.’ I can understand if they say they were affected for a day or two perhaps... I remember reading about this scene between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. They had a scene together where Pacino had to pant as if he had come running and deliver his lines to De Niro. So, Pacino went a long distance, ran and came running but when he reached his spot, he forgot his lines. Again he went back and ran a kilometre and he messed up his line. So then he was about to go behind and De Niro caught his hand, and said “Listen now can you try acting?’’ My approach is the same. Act like you have run and come. You don’t have to actually run. So don’t get into the part to the point it spills into your life. It’s called acting. So just act!

So you are saying no role has ever affected you that much?
I have played many disturbing characters whether it’s Sangharsh or Janwaar... and nothing affected me more than a day. If you see Marlon Brando, all these big actors, the so-called kings of acting, you will never hear them talking like this. It’s okay I can understand if you say that I am still feeling that character for a day... but after that, chal na, abhi khatam ho gaya.

You’ve spent over 20 years and done over 130 films — does the release of a new film still bring the butterflies?
Yes it does. And if it doesn’t work, then I am sad but only till Monday night. After that I have to carry on. I remember talking to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan about this long back, I don’t know whether he would remember it. But I said to him, ‘Sir, kabhi kabhi films nahi chalti, how does one deal with that?’ He said ‘Akshay, no problem, look straight, carry on ahead, work for your next film. Don’t take it too seriously.” When an actor of that caliber says: Don’t take it to your heart, otherwise you won’t be able to work for your next movie. You’ll destroy the next person’s film and points out that there is nothing you can do. It didn’t work, it didn’t work; you have to go ahead.

You’re the only actor from your generation to sport a salt-and-pepper look on and off-screen.
Why should I hide it? I have been working for the last 25 years. I am in my 40s. I have salt and pepper hair and stubble. Why should I hide it? I am even ready to age on screen. People should stop asking actors these questions. Why is this thinking only here? Why is it a problem? Everyone follows the west, so why not when it comes to this? Tom Cruise plays a old man in Tropic Thunder, he plays a old, fat, bald Jewish guy. I loved that. Why can’t we have that here?

Also, while most other actors of your generation shy away from working with younger heroes, you’re the first one to take the plunge with Brothers, where you share screen with Sidharth Malhotra.
Again, look in Hollywood, no one questions this aspect. You see the biggest of actors does one-minute roles in films. If a guy is making a film and if there is a small three-minute role also, the biggest of actors do it. I want to change that thought. And I can try and change it with my actions. So I am doing Brothers and am open to doing more such films. The role has to be good. Who else is in the film, how big is his role should not matter.

Over the last few years, you’ve had three-four releases a year. Are you planning to continue doing that?
I will continue to do all kinds of films. So I will balance serious films with a Housefull 3. Because if all I do are serious films, I will become a very depressed person. I can’t do that. I need my Sajid-Farhad and I need to laugh, I need my Riteish Deshmukh... But yes, to answer your question, I will continue making three-four releases a year. I have been doing that from the beginning of my career. It’s not a new thing.

Even SRK, Aamir and Salman did that at the beginning of their careers, but not once they became superstars.
Yes, that’s changing now. And it will change more.

You think they’ll do more films every year now?
Let’s not get into that.