Anupam Kher reveals the times he stole Rs 100 for auditions; From theater to the big screen...

Anupam Kher has stormed his way to the top and the versatile actor is known to be one of the finest actors Bollywood has ever had. He has imprinted his mark on Bollywood as he was awarded Filmfare’s Best Actor for Saaransh in 1984. It could be considered as one of the most successful debuts Bollywood has ever had. The actor learned to master his art with theater and seemed to be raised being the puppet of the stage who never forgot his roots.

The Ram Lakhan actor never constricted his art to the theater but he also offered more than one has ever bargained to the world of cinema. From making a name in Theater to Bollywood and followed by Hollywood, the actor seemed to be an unstoppable cyclone of raging thunder who just kept growing. Over the years, Kher has chosen his character meticulously and his movies are proof that he never backs down from a challenge. His acting skills ranged from performing comic roles to villains and he never shied away from performing supporting characters as well. 

In spite of all the fame and legacy that has been garnished in his life, Kher still gives his best even at the age of 64 without any anomaly in his characters or on-screen appearances. After all, age is just a number; isn't it? 

And while Anupam Kher continues to set such a bright example for the youth, it is only important for everyone to know his story and the hurdles that he has overcome with hard work and confidence to achieve his dreams. 

In interaction with Humans Of Bombay, Anupam Kher narrates his story stating, "When I was young, I asked my grandfather why we were so happy despite being poor. He said, ‘Happiness is our cheapest luxury’. My dad was very optimistic–when I ranked 59 out of 60 in school, he said I could always do better next time! It was this celebration of failures that made me unstoppable", he narrates adding how there were several instances when he was forced to give up but he didn't…

Mentioning how there were days when he had no house, no money, Anupam Kher said, "I got my calling when I acted in a play in 9th grade. I couldn't say my lines well, so they were given to someone else. But during the play, he forgot to say them! So I made something up in my broken English–the audience was in splits!  I loved being on stage & wanted to act full time. I saw an Ad for a course in Chandigarh & needed Rs.100 for the audition. I stole it from my mom & told her I was going for a picnic. Thankfully, I was accepted! So I went to Chandigarh to study acting. I was a teacher for 2 years, before I saw an ad that a drama school in Mumbai was hiring. When I got here, I realised they had no money–they gave me a small space to teach & a tiny room to stay. I didn’t want to go back a failure. So I taught there, while auditioning & performing in plays. It was hard–at one point I had no work, money or help. I had to live on beaches & sleep on platforms. I didn’t want to worry my parents, so I wrote to my granddad that I wanted to come back. But he replied, ‘A man who’s already drenched in water, shouldn’t be scared of rains’–I didn’t give up!"