Anupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in nearly 470 films and 100 plays.
Though mainly appearing in Bollywood films, he has had roles in some films from other
nations as well most notably the 2013 Oscar winning Silver Linings Playbook, directed
by David O. Russell.
He has held the post of Chairman of the Censor Board and National School of Drama in India.
In 2004, he was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contribution
to Indian cinema.
Kher has won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role five times, more than any
other actor.
Early life Anupam Kher was born and raised in Shimla,
into a Kashmiri Pandit family.His father was a clerk and he had a modest upbringing.He
was educated at D.A.V.
School in Lakkar Bazar, Shimla.
He is an alumnus and a former chairperson of the National School of Drama.
Some of his early acting was in plays performed at the Himachal Pradesh University.
Career Kher made his acting debut in the 1982 Hindi
movie Aagman.
Then in 1984 came Saaransh, where 28-year-old Kher played a retired middle class Maharashtrian
man who has lost his son.
He hosted TV shows such as Say Na Something To Anupam Uncle, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka, Lead
India and the recent The Anupam Kher Show which has become a big hit on its 1st episode
when Shah Rukh Khan was invited as his guest.
He has had many comic roles but has also played the villain such as his acclaimed role as
terrorist Dr. Dang in Karma.
For his role in Daddy he received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.
He has starred alongside Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan many times in films such as
Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Chaahat, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Mohabbatein and Veer-Zaara.
He ventured into directing with Om Jai Jagadish and has been a producer.
He produced and starred in the film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.
He received the Best Actor Award from the Karachi International Film Festival for his
performance.
The role of the Police Commissioner Rathor, played by him in critically and commercially
acclaimed A Wednesday is also very much appreciated.
Kher is known internationally for Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, Speedy
Singhs, his appearance on the hit TV show ER, and more recently in The Mistress of Spices
and Lust, Caution.
In 2012 he co-starred in the Academy Award-winning Silver Linings Playbook.
Kher has written and starred in a play about his own life called Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai,
which is directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.
Until recently he served as chairman of the Indian Film Censor Board.
He is an alumnus of National School of Drama and was its director between 2001 and 2004.
In 2007, Anupam Kher, with his batchmate of NSD, Satish Kaushik, started a film production
company, Karol Bagh Productions.
Their first film, Tere Sang, is being directed by Satish Kaushik.
He was been appointed in 2010 as the goodwill ambassador of the Pratham Education Foundation,
which strives to improve children's education in India.
In 2011, he starred alongside Mohanlal and Jayaprada in the Malayalam language romantic
drama Pranayam.
Kher chose Pranayam as one of the seven best films of his career.
He also starred in a number of Marathi films such as Thoda Tuza...Thoda Maza, Kashala Udyachi
Baat and Punjabi films such as Yaaraan naal bahaaraan.
He is widely regarded as an intellectual talk show participant.
In 2009, Kher has given his Hindi voice to Carl Fredricksen in the Disney-Pixar 3D animated
film Up, which was his first dubbing role and his very first voice role.
Anupam Kher is currently shooting for The Dirty Politics.
The movie also features Om Puri and Jackie Shroff.
In 2014, Kher starred in the British film Shongram, a fictional romantic drama based
around the factual and historical events of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
Personal life Anupam Kher is married to fellow actress Kirron
Kher.
Her son, his stepson, is actor Sikandar Kher.
Awards and recognitions Civilian award
2004: Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contribution to Indian cinema
National Film Awards 1989: National Film Award - Special Jury Award:
Daddy 2005: National Film Award - Special Jury Award:
Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara Filmfare Awards
Wins 1984: Best Actor, Saaransh
1988: Best Supporting Actor, Vijay 1989: Best Comedian, Ram Lakhan
1990: Critics Award for Best Performance, Daddy
1991: Best Comedian, Lamhe 1992: Best Comedian, Khel
1993: Best Comedian, Darr 1995: Best Comedian, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le
Jayenge Nominations
1986: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Janam 1991: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Dil
1992: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Saudagar 1994: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Hum
Aapke Hain Koun..!
1997: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Chaahat 2013: nominated: Best Supporting Actor, Special
26 Screen Awards
1994: Best Supporting Actor for 1942: A Love Story
1999: Best Comedian for Haseena Maan Jayegi Bollywood Movie Awards
1999 : Best Supporting Actor for Salaakhen 2007 : Best Comedian for Khosla Ka Ghosla
Other awards 2000: Actor of the Decade Award
2000: Best Actor in a Comic Role at the Sansui Viewers Choice Awards
2001: Real Life Hero Award at the Zee Gold Bollywood Awards
2005: "Divya Himachal Award" for excellence 2005, with the blessings of H.H. Dalai Lama
2005: Best Actor Award from the Karachi International Film Festival for Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara
2006: Best Actor Award at the Riverside International Film Festival at California for Maine Gandhi
Ko Nahin Mara 2006: GIFA awards: Critics Choice Awards - Best
Actor in a Comic Role for Khosla Ka Ghosla 2013: Outstanding Achievement in Cinema award
at The Asian Awards.
Recognition He was honoured by Walk of the Stars as his
hand print was preserved for posterity at Bandra Bandstand in Mumbai.
Filmography Director
Producer Actor
Dubbing Animated Films Playback Singer
Television Actor
References
External links Anupam Kher at the Internet Movie Database
Anupam Kher Foundation Anupam Kher's Actor Prepares
Karolbagh Films & Entertainment Pvt Ltd