Anupam Kher talks about why performers in modern times don’t address politics while using instances from Dev Anand Sahab and Vijay Anand Sahab.
Unafraid to speak out on social and political concerns, Anupam Kher is one of Bollywood’s most harsh and passionate performers. Although the actor’s wife, Kirron Kher, is a politician and a Lok Sabha member, he has never joined a political party. Anupam described himself as “India-centric” in a recent conversation and claimed that if he speaks his views while referencing Dev Anand Sahab and Vijay Anand Sahab for supporting a particular philosophy, people will assume it is a political issue.
One of the most well-known actors from earlier times, Anupam continues to make significant contributions to Hindi film. He made an important appearance in the 2022 film “The Kashmir Files” by Vivek Agnihotri as a Kashmiri Pandit titled “Pushkar Nath Pandit” and received praise from critics for the part.
He said, “Whenever there’s an issue happening and if I talk my mind out, people think that it’s a political issue. Ideologically I am an Indian and my first interest is India. Now if the present government thinks more about India then automatically I can be associated with them. But, if I wanted to join a political party I would have joined it.”
He also said, “I am India-centric. If people want to confuse that with politics, that is their problem.” In fact, he also opened up on why actors refrain from talking about politics these days and said, “I think actors have a fan base, people base. In today’s time, it can be easily misconstrued. It can easily get into issues. Warna pehle bhi they. There is a certain section of people, Dev Anand Sahab, Vijay Anand Sahab, they supported a particular ideology. They were vocal and saath me kaam hota rehta tha (work existed side by side).”
Along with these topics, the actor from The Kashmir Files spoke about his long career in show business, his marriage to Kirron Kher, and how he stays fit and healthy at his advanced age.