There are no words adequate to describe Anupam Kher. The actor, who firmly refuses the titles of ‘veteran’ or ‘legend,’ is not only a household name on the big screen, but his return to the stage is equally admired and anticipated. So, ahead of his latest theatrical stint — — we caught up with him to discuss his love for the medium, why he considers himself a newcomer, his love for sweets, and why he pushes himself to go to the gym every single day. Read the edited excerpt below:
Anupam Kher: Well, I used to do theatre/plays in my school and college. Then, at the Department of Indian Theatre in , I performed my first professional play, Exception and the Rule, followed by The Threepenny Opera. Then I came to , and soon after, to the National School of Drama in , where I did a lot of theatre. Then, after graduating in ’78, I did many plays with Amal Allana. It was very important for me to continue doing theatre after I got into films because I realised that theatre keeps an actor from rusting. It keeps you alive as a person and as an actor. So, soon after I got into movies — in the 90s — I did a play called Salgirah with my wife Kirron, directed by Feroze Abbas Khan. Then I performed my play based on my autobiography.
My achievement in theatre was also about commitment. And of course, due to economic reasons, after I got into movies, because you usually don’t feel the need to do theatre after movies. But I used to feel that doing theatre was very important because it also introduced me to new people and audiences all over the world, since I travel a lot with the plays I do. I have been performing Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, based on my autobiography, for 21 years and have completed 500 shows. I have also done a play with Neena Gupta, directed by Rakesh Bediji, which ran for five to six years. And now I had this very strong urge to do Jaane Pehchane Anjaane.
I think it’s my connection with the audience. It’s my reality check. Some people do Sudoku, and some people do theatre. It’s my way of reinventing myself.
Anupam Kher: When I saw the original Marathi play, it was just a straight play about great relationships divided into three categories of people: retired, middle class/middle-aged, and the younger generation. Also, I like theatre or plays where the audience identifies with the story or the characters. I don’t want the audience to feel alienated from the plot. So in that sense, in this play, the characters feel so real to the audience that they will say, “Oh, this is my story. This is about me.”
The only thing I added was the element of music, because my other plays did not have a musical feel. So that’s how I approached Anu Malik ji, and we made some interesting songs and dances. So it’s a Broadway-style musical, yet the plot is very Indian. Universal also.
Anupam Kher: I think it’s just the joy of having a live audience, the joy of making mistakes, and not having the luxury of a retake. As I said earlier, it helps me reinvent, keeps me and my faculties alive, and keeps me from getting complacent. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that ‘extra’, and theatre is that ‘extra’ which keeps me going.
Anupam Kher: Well, it’s about human relationships. It’s about loneliness. It’s about wanting to matter in relationships. It’s about learning from younger generations. It’s about the fact that life needs to continue. It’s about my optimism. It’s about believing in goodness. I’m an eternally optimistic person, and the character that I portray is not an optimistic person, but by the end of the play, he does become one. He believes in simplicity. I also believe in simplicity.
Anupam Kher: Well, I have been very fortunate to do some very fascinating characters on screen also. So, for me, being on screen has been equally exciting. I will not be able to choose between the two media because both have great possibilities. Cinema reaches millions and millions of people, whereas theatre only has 1000 or 1500 people, impacting you or you impacting them. But if I had not felt creatively satisfied in cinema, then I would have said I prefer theatre. But I have been very fortunate to be doing some creative work, amazing work, even as a film actor.
Anupam Kher: I do not think of myself as a veteran. I think of myself as a newcomer, and I’m not saying it modestly. This is a tag that the world wants to give you so that you can retire. I’m a nervous wreck before my play starts. Despite having done 550 films and more than 150 shows, I am very nervous before a play starts.
Anupam Kher: It’s all about reinventing yourself. Mentally, you can keep reinventing yourself, but about 10-12 years back, I realised that it is equally important that physical reinvention happens, too. I thought that if I have to take on different roles, I must focus on fitness, and people should also ask me about my fitness (smiles). So, it is important to keep both the mind and the body agile. Being physically fit gives you a great sense of self-worth. Also, the one and a half hours that I work out, I’m very focused. It’s very important to be focused because when you’re lifting weights — you just cannot think about anything else.
And then, you see this slight change that happens in your body. You suddenly realise that you have to wear fitted shirts. And the joy and nasha of that physical change is a reason enough to wake up every day to either do yoga, walk or do a workout. This morning, I was feeling a little lazy, but then I said no and went to the gym. And it’s fantastic. Self-worth cannot be better than this.
Anupam Kher: Yeah, it’s horrible to be consciously aware of being on a diet, but sickness accompanies the diet. I don’t have cheat days, but I cheat almost every day as far as meetha is concerned. I am a sucker for sweets, but I try. I had to lose about eight kilos for Bengal Files, and now I have another film, which begins in September. So, I will have to diet. But I have a very good dietitian in Mumbai who somehow manages to give me things I like. And I am very fortunate to have a chef at home who makes really good food.
Anupam Kher: Yeah, she wants to see the play every time it happens. She recently fought with me, saying, “maine ek hi baar dekha hai, mujhe chaar baar dekhna hai.” She is a force of nature. I am glad I started posting her videos on social media some 5-6 years ago. I have met so many people telling me that they, too, have started looking at their mothers in a different light; which I had not thought of when I had started doing that. We should never take our parents for granted. They are the most selfless people in our lives. My mother calls me every day at 8 am. It is important to tell them that you love them.
Anupam Kher: Keep reinventing yourself. Keep finding new paths. Make your job difficult so that you can come up with something better. That is for every profession. If you make your job difficult, you discover how much you are capable of. I also believe that competence is the biggest enemy of brilliance.
The musical comedy will premiere in Delhi at Kamani Auditorium with running shows from 22nd to 24th May 2026.
