Neeraj Pandey thought Anupam Kher’s play could make a good movie

By Natalia Ningthoujam

New Delhi, June 14 Veteran actor Anupam Kher is in no hurry to see his life story on the big screen, but he says that a few years ago filmmaker Neeraj Pandey had told him that his autobiographical play “Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai” could make an interesting film or a limited series.

Anupam recently released his popular autobiographical play “Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai” on his new website. He also has an autobiography “Lessons Life Taught Me Unknowingly”.

Asked if anyone had approached him to make a film based on his book or play, Anupam told IANS: “Very briefly Neeraj Pandey had spoken to me…about two or three years back. After seeing the play, he said ‘it will make an interesting film or a limited series’, so I leave it to him whenever he plans to do that.”

“Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai” offers a glance of Anupam’s failures, triumphs and life lessons, as the actor sets out to depict ordinary people.

“Best part is that I can do most of the parts convincingly. Only the teenager’s and child’s roles will have to be done by somebody else. I am the same person who had played a 65-year-old at the age of 28. So from that point of view, I think it will be interesting. I was very flattered and happy when Neeraj had approached me. He had said it himself. It has to come whenever it has to. I am not in a hurry,” said the “Saaransh” actor.

If this happens, then the film will join the list of movies like “A Wednesday!,” “Special 26” and “Baby” that have Anupam as an actor and Pandey as the director.

In fact, Anupam had recently posted a photo of the team of “Baby” on social media. Are they working on another part of the 2015 film?

“I think the next film he (Pandey) is making is ‘Chanakya’ with Ajay Devgn, so obviously he is booked for one year,” said Anupam.

Even Anupam is a busy actor. Among his various projects, he has the hit American “New Amsterdam”. Considering it’s a medical show, would he want an episode on the ongoing pandemic situation?

“We had shot an episode about a virus. Later producers decided it’s too close to reality and we should not air it,” he said.

“I am sure it (pandemic) will change writing all over the place, not just medical shows.
Everyone is affected by it, so I am sure the approach of life will be completely different now,” added Anupam.

For now, he is religiously following a routine at home.

“I am an early riser. It’s not like there is nowhere to go, so I’ll wake up at 11 am.The easiest thing in this situation is to be lazy, to sort of let go. But I do not do that. I like to do some sort of workout, yoga, make videos, conduct online classes,” he shared.

“There are thoughts coming in my mind…on this lockdown period, maybe pen down a book. So I am jotting down a few things, recording few things. It’s just a thought,” he added and concluded by saying: “The lesson that we have learnt is that we cannot take nature for granted. We have also discovered that we are nobody in front of nature.”

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)