Thaindian News

May 19, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Anupam Kher will be seen with Shahid Kapoor in Mausam. Kher has been asked to join the unit in Edinburgh.

Says the busy actor, “I’m yet to get a clear indication of my role. But the fact that Pankaj is directing is enough incentive for me. I’m very fond of him as an actor and as a human being. And I also like his son Shahid a lot. In fact, in his brief career, I’ve played Shahid’s father thrice (in Sooraj Barjataya’s Vivah, Dil Bole Hadippa, and Badmaash Company).”

This time, though, Anupam isn’t playing Shahid’s father. It is apparently the role that Pankaj Kapoor had earmarked for himself. Now with direction proving a full-time occupation Pankaj would rather concentrate on direction and let others do the acting.

However, the dates for Mausam are still being worked out. Anupam now flies out to the Lake District in England for a walk-on talkathon on the BBC’s prestigious business talk show, Peschartdt’s People. The internationally-known host, Michael Peschardt, is known to grill the world’s most authoritative entertainers and academicians including, from India, N. Narayana Murthy, Vijay Mallya, and Amitabh Bachchan.

Says Anupam, “I like representing our country on international platforms. Especially on a non-film platform. I think I’ve moved ahead of being just an actor.”

Considering the response to it, does Anupam feel a sense of relief for opting out of Gurinder Chadha’s It’s a Wonderful Afterlife when his wife was offered what he thought was an insubstantial role?

Retorts Anupam, “Not at all. Gurinder gave me my first major international break in Bend It Like Beckham. How can I forget that? Our relationship goes far beyond one film. I’m sure we’ll be working together again shortly.”

– Subhash K Jha / Sampurn Wire