Showing posts with label Vijay 69. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vijay 69. Show all posts
Hindi cinema is still struggling to tell stories that are from our land-Anupam Kher
4:45 PM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 23, 2024)
For Bollywood, there have been more disappointments than successes at the box-office so far, in 2024. And actor Anupam Kher, who marked four decades in the industry this year, feels the industry needs to self-reflect. “Going to cinema is an outing that a person does with their family. So, the quality of cinema needs to improve, because you are competing with streaming platforms and the millions of sources of entertainment in the world. Why don’t we raise our bar?”
Kher feels the biggest challenge for the industry right now is storytelling: “India is such a huge country, and we are not telling our stories. Hindi cinema is still struggling to tell stories that are from our land. Most stories and sequences are such that you feel you’ve seen them somewhere. The best way to reinvent is to look back and look within.”
The actor’s OTT release Vijay 69 earned him a lot of praise. He feels the novelty of the script made the film work: “What makes Vijay 69 different is that it is an original script. Kahin pe bhi pehle kuch nahin dekha hai. There is no unnecessary high-speed shot or slo-mos. It’s a human story.”
Ask if OTT is a safer medium for the makers today vis-à-vis theatres? “I have been a part of Indian cinema for 40 years now. Every time, we blamed something’s rise for theatrical releases not doing well, but cinema is still going on. However, we cannot deny that OTT has created jobs for a lot of people and improved the quality of content,” Kher ends.
Why Anupam Kher decided to not surround himself with other struggling actors
2:44 PM
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who is working on his second directorial venture, on how being lonely and frustrated was necessary to build his 40-year acting career
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; November 11, 2024)
For Vijay 69, Anupam Kher took on the challenge of learning swimming at 69. The idea of challenging himself extends to his next venture too. The veteran actor, who had turned director with Om Jai Jagadish in 2002, is giving filmmaking a second shot with Tanvi The Great. The musical stars him alongside Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen, with music composed by Oscar winner M M Keeravani.
Relishing this chapter of his career, Kher states, “Like Vijay 69, even for my directorial venture, I took up a difficult subject. No one can tell us what we can or cannot do. We can be ordinary, but the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that extra effort. You have to bring that element in your life and career.”
Kher has completed four decades in the industry. It was a realization early on in his journey that turned things around for him. “It’s important to be lonely and frustrated [for an artiste],” he says, recounting how he decided to not surround himself with other struggling actors.
“When I came to Mumbai, people told me that I should go to Pamposh restaurant in Bandra and hang outside Prithvi Theatre. So, I went to Pamposh and saw a few old people. They were sipping tea and saying, ‘Gyarah saal se struggle kar raha hoon.’ I realized that seven years later, I might [be one of them]. That’s why I never sat with them.”
Over the decades that followed, Kher built not only an eclectic filmography, but also meaningful friendships in the industry—from Anil Kapoor to Chunky Panday.
“Now, [such friendships] are not possible. I’m not saying today people aren’t capable of forming relationships, but at that time, we didn’t have any vanity vans. We didn’t have so many people surrounding us. What we had were conversations,” he says.
I will not accept a lifetime achievement award for another 15 years-Anupam Kher
2:42 PM
Learning to swim, cycle, and run for the triathlon movie Vijay 69, Anupam Kher says training attention to fitness eight years ago helped him ace his act; reveals shedding another six kilos with a “gruelling diet” for his next film
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; November 6, 2024)
In an era where social media platforms brim with posts that call attention to the physical and mental fatigue that settles in after the age of 30, a conversation with Anupam Kher serves as an awakening. “I don’t have the desperation to be young; I have the desperation to be youthful,” says Kher, 69, who considers, explores, and completes projects within the span of time that most would spend merely mulling over an idea.
Ever so often, our conversations trace back to the concept of discovering oneself. “I’ve decided I’m not going to be called a thespian, legend, or veteran. I will not accept a lifetime achievement award for another 15 years. Some people are happy to do so, and I am proud of them. But I feel that the world constantly tries to put you in a slot — 'He has worked a lot. Let’s give him a lifetime achievement award’. I don’t want that. You have to reinvent yourself; think about how the next three years of your life should turn out,” says the actor, showcasing the kind of passion for his craft, and his life, that evades individuals several years younger.
It was early on in his career that Kher decided to bank on his acting prowess to pick roles that were, until then, unfamiliar. Evidently then, when news of his latest offering hit headlines, fans were excited but not surprised. After all, who other than him would be better suited to play the part of an unconditioned 69-year-old who aspires to complete a triathlon?
“What you see in this film is a 69-year-old man who gets into shape by the end of the film [as he trains] to participate in the triathlon. Off screen, I was correspondingly living the same life. Among the most defining things I did as part of my preparation was learn to swim. I did that last year after [overcoming] what could be described as a sense of phobia of water. I had wanted to learn to swim 42 years ago. But my trainer thought that pushing somebody, an adult, into the pool would be a great way to teach him to swim. But that works for children, not grown-ups,” he says, recalling the event that subsequently dissuaded him from learning the art.
“For this film, my director suggested using a [body double], But what is the point of doing a movie on a triathlon if I couldn’t do a decent job? Somebody suggested a trainer, and he methodically taught me to swim. Within 10 days, I [overcame] my fear of water, and could breathe calmly in the pool. Slowly, I [learned] freestyle, and backstroke.”
While replicating his strokes in the open waters of Mulshi Ghat required adjustment, Kher says he eventually found the process “therapeutic”.
Trading his traditional walking routine for running bouts, Kher worked with a physiotherapist to prevent injuries that could come about from his altered regimen.
“My body was not accustomed to doing certain things. My running bouts had to synchronize with the goals of my physiotherapist, and I’d have therapy sessions three times a day. Furthermore, while I knew how to cycle before this film came my way, I had to learn the correct posture for the race, and the manner in which the sports cycle is used since it differs from the regular cycles. I get a kick out of this. There is a certain validation and pleasure that you derive when you do a sporty film after the age of 60. I felt like an athlete.”
Developing mental fitness
While the sports-specific training he endured was one part of his prep to play a marathoner, Kher had to simultaneously work on improving his stamina to ensure that his performance didn’t take a hit due to the retakes demanded by his director.
“When you are acting, you can improve with each take because you have been trained to do so. But in order to do three takes of a swimming, cycling, or running bout, and do so while maintaining the required posture, I needed to put in extra work.”
If the physical aspect posed a challenge to the actor, the character’s temperament led to mental fatigue. He refuses to describe Vijay as a regular person with aspirations of completing a coveted race.
“He is angry. This is a 69-year-old failed man; he does not have anything substantial to add to his list of credits. At this age, he realizes that he has nothing to boast about, and he is angry with himself. Anger is a tiring emotion. It requires more energy to pull off. I wanted to showcase the character with a certain amount of frustration.”
Despite the precautions that may be put in place, a sports film continues to pose a threat to those involved in athletic activities. Pointing to a recently cut trailer, Kher reveals, “The tears you see in that shot are real, because I broke my shoulder while filming it. We were filming at 6 am, and I [incorrectly] hit the brakes of the cycle and [fell], and dislocated my shoulder. My director suggested that we head to the hospital, but [I insisted] that we wrap up the scenes. Evidently, I have given my blood, sweat, and bone to this film,” he chuckles.
Turning to fitness at 60
It was eight years ago that Kher decided that his walking regimen wasn’t sufficient to keep him in good stead. Having once disregarded the need for a physical fitness trainer, he says he increasingly realised that his body wasn’t as agile as his mind.
“I used to think [our ancestors] had stayed fit by walking, and that was enough. But I began to [appreciate] the science of fitness. Now, I cannot help but wonder how much I would have benefitted had I taken to training sooner. I used to host the show, Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, the clips of which often pop up on social media. I look like a potato in them. My mind’s agility is at its peak, and if I can get my body to match that, it will be a lethal combination.”
Like every other gym goer, Kher wakes up with an aching body, and is often dissuaded to train another day. “But, I encourage myself to go on. To think about problems and converse with yourself about them is also stimulating for the mind. You live once; try to be healthy for your own self.”
Before he signs off, Kher lets us in on a nugget of information. “In some time, you’ll learn of a project I am part of for which I need to lose eight kilos. I have already lost six. It is the most gruelling, boring, and frightening process, because I am a foodie. Even though I have been following a disciplined [lifestyle since] seven years, this is drastic. I haven’t done something like this in my entire life, but it was required because I only had four months to do it. But it gives me a kick. More than the physical benefits, it helps train the mind.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: VIJAY 69 by FENIL SETA
7:25 PM
Vijay 69, which has released today on Netflix, is the story of a man who decides to participate in a Triathlon race. The film starts on a funny note. It's only 112 minutes long and the interest levels never dip. The goings-on are very relatable and even funny. Sadly, not all jokes have the desired impact. A couple of scenes, meant to evoke laughs, fail to impress. Thankfully, the film rises in the climax. The final portion is very moving. Anupam Kher has delivered several memorable performances and yet, he surprises with his act in this film. Mihir Ahuja (Aditya Jaiswal) has a crucial role and is damn good. Chunky Panday (Dr Fali Bathena) is a bit over the top but it works for his character. Dharmendra Gohil (Aakash; Aditya's father) and Saanand Verma (Corrupt journalist) are quite good in their respective roles. The others who do well are Guddi Maruti (Parminder Bakshi), Ekavali (Anna), Sulagna Panigrahi (Deeksha), Ketika Sharma (Malti) and Adrija Sinha (Ruhi; content creator). All in all, Vijay 69 is a sweet film with a touching climax.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Had Dilip Kumar or Amitabh Bachchan played Dr Dang, they would have been considered heroes but not me-Anupam Kher
8:07 AM
Vijay 69 actor Anupam Kher on learning to swim to play role of a 69-year-old athlete
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; November 2, 2024)
Never one to disappoint with his film choices, Anupam Kher gripped the attention of cinephiles when he announced that he was set to play a 69-year-old man with aspirations of competing in a triathlon. Kher, also 69, says that like his character Vijay, he also believes that there is benefit in “attempting things that are considered difficult”.
“I am the actor who likes to break stereotypes. I want to push boundaries and do things that people say are not possible. People try their best to ensure that one remains mediocre, because [that’s how they] see [themselves]. Who decides if you can do something or not?” he enthuses with the passion he showcases on screen.
“I didn’t know how to swim, but this film required my character to do so. I could have easily told the team to work with a body double for those sections. But the film is about courage, and if the actor did not showcase that, it would be a contradiction. I didn’t want that,” he says.
Featuring in Akshay Roy’s directorial venture, Kher says, has left him yearning for similar challenges. As physically taxing as it may seem, Kher says he’d like to feature in a film like Vijay 69 “every two years”. “When you have done so much work, you have to make your job difficult.”
Place power in the hands of bankable actors like him, and it’s easy to see that a film will have several takers. In fact, Kher’s vast body of work is testimony to the fact that films based on aged characters have found favour among the masses. We are compelled to ask the actor why similar stories that revolve around elderly protagonists are not brought into the market. Kher opines that the masses are “conditioned to believe” that the kind of success that the protagonist of the film enjoys is reserved for the young.
“We believe in clichés. We like success stories. But Vijay 69 is also a success story. Our society tends to look at older characters from a sympathetic lens. In Vijay 69, my character is ready for a fight anytime. There’s no age barrier in his head. He is quite unabashed in his approach. And that’s such an attractive quality about him,” he shares.
Having worked for nearly four decades, Kher has been part of a diverse filmography. However, it was early on in his journey that he learnt a crucial aspect about the disparity between acting and popularity.
“I always considered myself the hero of a film. I had told Subhash Ghai [director] that my character in Karma [1986], Doctor Dang, is the hero. Had Dilip Kumar or Amitabh Bachchan played that role, they would have been considered the heroes. But, when Anupam Kher plays it, that’s not how it is referred to. An actor who has knowledge will know that anyone who acts well is a hero. I understood this because I was an educated actor. In our industry, those who act poorly are considered good actors, and the one who would perform well would be called character actors. It was torturous, sometimes. I used to look at a hero and think, ‘He is such a bad actor.’”
Then, Anupam Kher won award for Vijay; this time, he believes I'll win for Vijay 69-Chunky Panday
9:53 AM
Chunky Panday reveals how Vijay 69 co-star Anupam Kher made him trade his over-the-top performances for a toned-down act
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; October 31, 2024)
The first time Chunky Panday shared screen space with Anupam Kher was in Tezaab (1988). He won his maiden acting nomination, but eventually lost the trophy to Kher. For their upcoming collaboration, Vijay 69, Kher has assured Panday that the latter will win an award. “That time, Kher saab had won for Vijay [1988], and this time, he believes I will win for Vijay 69,” smiles Panday.
The actor, who plays a Parsi character in the Netflix dramedy, credits Kher for guiding his performance. “When I play a character, I make it over the top and a caricature. He told me to control my performance as it’s not that kind of film.”
In the last few years, Panday has extensively worked in digital entertainment and he confesses that the varied stories on OTT have made him look at himself as a performer in a new light.
“When I entered the industry, I wanted to be a star; acting happened later. The hero, in our time, always had to be the good guy. Kher saab and others got to [play different characters]—good, bad and ugly. Now, I am enjoying playing all these characters.”
Going by his instinct, the senior actor also wanted his daughter Ananya Panday to focus on achieving stardom. But today as she receives acclaim for her performances, be it in CTRL or Call Me Bae, daddy dearest is happy to be proven wrong.
He says, “I used to have fights with her because I felt she should do [mainstream] cinema and she’d say, ‘Dad, I want to be an actor.’ I’d respond saying, ‘You be an actor later, first you become a star.’ Now, I’m realizing that perhaps she was right.”
Anupam Kher injured on the set of his upcoming film Vijay 69
8:25 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (May 23, 2023)
Actor Anupam Kher sustained injuries on the set of his upcoming film, Vijay 69. Taking to Instagram on Monday, Kher shared a picture of himself with an arm sling and wrote, “Aap sports film karo aur aap ghaayal na ho!! Aisa kaise ho sakata hai? Kal #vijay69 ki shooting ke dauran kandhe mein achi khaasi choth lagi (sic).”
He jokingly added, “Dard to hai par jab kandhe par sling lagaane vaale bhaiya ne bataaya ki unhone hi @iamsrk aur @hrithikroshan ke kandhon ko is sling se sajaaya tha to pata nahin kyon dard ka ehasaas thoda kam ho gaya (sic).”
Kher added that he would rest it out for a couple of days to let the pain subside: “Ek do dinon baad shooting jaari rahegi.”
The 68-year-old said his mother, Dulari, claimed that he fell prey to the evil eye: “Waese maa ne suna to boli, ‘Aur dikha apni body duniya ko!! Tujhe nazar lag gayi!’ Maine jawaab diya, ‘Maa! Girte hai shahasvaar hi maidaan e jang mein. Vo tiphal kya girega jo ghutno ke bal chale!’ Maa jhaapad maarte maarte rukh gayi (sic).”
Reacting to the picture, actor Neena Gupta asked, “Oh what have you done?” To which, Kher replied, “That’s what happens to great artists like you and me! Mild injuries (sic).”
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