Anupam Kher on working till 90: I decide when to slow down, not society
Actor Anupam Kher, in an exclusive interview with us, talks about ageing, being curious in his art and life, and reflects on his 40 years in cinema. The actor will soon be seen in the Netflix film Vijay 69.
Actor Anupam Kher, who turned 69 this year and also completed 40 successful years in cinema, opened up about his approach towards ageing, the art of acting and the importance of staying curious in life. “There is no retirement age for actors,” he said during an exclusive interview with India Today Digital during the promotion of his upcoming Netflix film Vijay 69.
“People want to give you space these days. They want to stabilize you at 69 and tell you that now you should slow down, walk slowly and do things slowly in life. I don’t want to do that. I will decide when I want to slow down and do things differently,” Kher reflected on societal expectations of ageing. He said, “I don’t believe in clichés, even though I have achieved a lot in my life. I want to keep trying, achieve more.”
Vijay in 69, Kher The main character is played by Vijay MathewsA 69-year-old man who wants to make a name for himself so that people will remember him after his death.
“Writer-director Akshay Roy told me that my character’s name was Vijay Mathews and Vijay means victory,” Kher shared. “A parallel story to this is that despite achieving a lot, one should not live life like a cliché. Vijay also wants to achieve more. It’s about pushing boundaries.”
For Kher, the process of acting remains a journey of constant reinvention. “Over the years I have learned everything I can, but every time I start a new film, I go back to unlearning. I don’t go into any new role as a veteran or veteran. I go in like I don’t know anything about acting,” he explained.
“I start from scratch, and I become the person I’m portraying. This is a big challenge because when you work so much, it’s possible that you get rusty. The only way to shine again is to unlearn,” Kher said.
When it comes to his art, age is just a number for him. “There is no retirement age for actors. If your body and mind are working, you can work till 90. That’s the advantage of being an actor. I know my work, I am a trained actor I am not a fool. I learned my work even before I came into films,” he insisted.
This year Kher completed four decades of giving hit films. His first film Saaransh (1984) Celebrating its 40th anniversary. Having witnessed significant changes in the landscape of Indian cinema, the actor urged filmmakers to focus on both meaningful films and larger-than-life entertainment to bring audiences back to cinema halls.
“Make great films. Make films that relate to India and that you really believe in. But at the same time, larger than life cinema is also important because it gives people the kind of entertainment that they need. Some People are entertained by tears, others are entertained by fear. In horror films, all types of cinema have their place,” said the 69-year-old actor.
Vijay 69 will start streaming on Netflix on November 8.
