Fans don't know where to draw the line: Anupam Kher

Mumbai, Jan 25 (IANS) Govinda isn't the only star to have been provoked by insolent fans. Veteran actor Anupam Kher has his own horror stories to tell and says such unfortunate incidents happen because people don't know where to draw the line.

'Recently in Baroda, while I was moving through a crowd, a man just pierced my thigh with a bobbin. I was stunned and bleeding. Luckily, I had the presence of mind to catch the man's hand. I asked him just one question. 'Why?' The man just looked at me, scared and confused,' Anupam told IANS.

Anupam says that fans sometimes don't know where to draw the line.

'With the heroines, it's even worse. On so many occasions while shooting in public places the crowd has got over-familiar and started passing filthy comments about actresses.

'Why is it that a mob is provoked to behave badly? I'm sure those molesters on New Year's Eve at Juhu would've remained civil if they hadn't been together in a crowd.'

Recalling another incident near home, Anupam shudders, 'I was caught in a Ganapati procession in Mumbai. First, the passers-by just saw me in my car, smiled and waved. As time passed they got aggressive and began to pound on my car windows and jump on my bonnet. It was really scary. At times like these it's very difficult to keep your cool.'

Actor-politician Govinda scorched the headlines recently when he slapped an intruder on the sets of 'Honey Hai to Money Hai'.

For all those who have been wondering where Anupam has been after the Govinda slapping incident, the actor was shooting in Madhya Pradesh for 'Hawai Dada' and phone networks don't work there.

'I'm against physical violence of any kind. But let me also add that Govinda isn't the kind of person who loses his temper easily. I've shot innumerable films with him. I've seen him remain calm through the worst crises.

'The provocation has to be really severe for him to have reacted the way he did. Having said that, I repeat, resorting to violence is no remedy, especially when you're in the limelight. I learnt this the hard way.'

'There's a very thin dividing line between adulation and abuse. Those who adore us stars can also get excessively insistent and abusive.'

Anupam recalls his own much-quoted incident of physical violence against a journalist many years ago.

'It was a very unfortunate incident, and I apologised publicly. No matter what the provocation is, it's wrong to get physical.'