Anupam Kher: TOI Dialogues: Anupam Kher compares Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan’s charm with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise – ‘Can they do ‘tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam’?’

Veteran actor Anupam Kher shared his thoughts on balancing artistic and commercial Bollywood films during his insightful session at The Times of India Dialogues event held in Uttarakhand. Known for his versatility, Kher addressed the question of how he navigates between these two contrasting genres.
“I don’t demarcate between artistic and commercial films,” Kher explained, emphasizing that the key lies in the performance.“If you’re bad, you’re bad in both. If you’re good, you try to be good in both.” He spoke highly of Indian cinema, praising it as one of the most remarkable in the world. He remarked that while it’s common for people to criticize their own industries, he stands proud of Indian cinema’s ability to captivate audiences with larger-than-life stories.

Kher also addressed the label ‘Bollywood,’ noting that many prefer to distance themselves from it, but expressed his admiration for Indian cinema’s unique charm. “We celebrate life. Indians are larger than life. We laugh loudly, hug loudly, and fight loudly, and that’s why our films are larger than life,” he said. According to Kher, the grandiosity of Bollywood films is what makes them resonate with audiences on a massive scale.
Sharing anecdotes from his career, Kher recalled moments where seemingly trivial scenes in commercial films left a lasting impact on audiences. He spoke about his experience in ‘Dil’, where he was asked to remove a fly from a cup of tea by the director Indra Kumar—a moment that resonated with younger viewers, despite his initial hesitation. ‘When my director Inder Kumar told me that you have to remove a fly from the tea and throw it. I said, have you gone mad? I am the gold medalist of the National School of Drama. And he said, no sir, he told me that teenagers and children like that scene the most. And I learned this from Mr. Bachchan. Mr. Bachchan is a ‘coolie’. In that, Mr. Bachchan was doing two roles in the train bogie How to do yoga and how to make omelette. And yet, 140 crore people believe us. We celebrate life. Indians are larger than life.’ he added.
Kher also highlighted the contrast between Indian and Hollywood films, suggesting that Indian actors like Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan possess a unique charm that global stars such as Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt would struggle to replicate in Bollywood-style roles. “Can Tom Cruise do ‘Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam’? No, the question doesn’t arise,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.
His session was filled with humor, and Kher even shared a humorous encounter with a corporate professional who subtly tried to dismiss Bollywood actors while sharing a flight. “It’s become quite fashionable to criticize Bollywood cinema, but honestly, I don’t believe it. People who claim to dislike it often seem eager to take a photo with me. I remember a time when I was traveling in a special business class and met some corporate people—those in blue shirts and khaki pants. I recall one of them saying, ‘Let’s ignore these Bollywood folks.’ I ordered masala dosa, idli, orange juice, and black coffee without sugar. He read the Economic Times for a while and then, after some time, commented, ‘Keep watching your artistic films; I watch them too.’ He even mentioned going to Delhi and Bangkok, which was irrelevant to our conversation. It’s interesting how people who pretend to dislike something often don’t like themselves very much,” he shared.
Despite their differences in taste, Kher demonstrated his ability to enjoy life and remain grounded. His takeaway was simple yet profound. He asked everyone to enjoy life, be yourself, and don’t get caught up in pretending to be someone else. His candid reflections on both artistic and commercial cinema left the audience entertained and enlightened, as he gracefully balanced humor with wisdom.