‘Theatre has kept me alive as a person’: Anupam Kher

For somebody who’s been acting for more than three decades, it comes as a surprise when Anupam Kher admits that the thought of being on stage is still frightening. “Even if I have done 10 shows in a row, I am petrified!” he says, adding that he ends up not eating food all day. “The overall joy of theatre is that you get nervous. Having done so much work and then feeling nervous is very refreshing to your own self as an actor,” he says with a smile. 

The National Award-winning actor has reason to feel this way. He’s got a show each, of two of his most popular plays — Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai and Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha on May 3 and 4 respectively at NCPA. The former, which is a one-man show, is something he hasn’t performed in the last two years. The latter sees him with the talented Neena Gupta and Rakesh Bedi. The actor, who returned from New York a few days ago — he has been filming the second season of his medical show New Amsterdam — tells us that he wants to perform Kucch... in America again. “I had performed it 12 years ago. I have weekends free at times, so I thought I should do it there once I go back,” he tells us... 

Kucch... is an autobiographical play. Since your life is constantly evolving, how has the play changed to keep up with it?

The play ends where it ended 10 years ago. The update is done through audio-visual devices. The show is not about my achievements ya phir maine kitne jhande gaade hain. It’s about my failures and disasters. So whatever happens in the piece later on, comes as audio visuals. My autobiography is also coming up soon. People who write one also write it to a certain point but, this particular theatrical finishes at a particular point and then I say, ‘uske baad yeh sab hua’.

The title of the play has almost become a tagline for your life...

It was August 8, 2005, that we did the first show. That time, I knew my life was a sum total of kucch bhi ho sakta hai. It is a phrase that can be applied to anybody who has done anything in life. For them too, anything is possible because possibility is synonymous, not with success but with your attitude towards life. 

Anupam Kher with Neena Gupta in Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha

The second play has also seen a great run...

We performed Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha first in 2015 and we have done shows all over the world. It’s so amazing to see Neena doing some wonderful work now. It was easier to get dates when we started, now it’s become really difficult! (laughs) She has always been a great actress but it’s wonderful to see her being appreciated for her roles in movies such as Badhaai Ho and The Last Color in recent times. So the element of kucch bhi ho sakta hai is there as well.

You have kept your passion for theatre alive... 

Theatre has kept me alive as a person. It is like a mental and physical exercise. It’s also educative because while the play is the same, every show is different. The possibilities the stage throws up is fascinating. I recently saw the play Network in America performed by Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad fame). It was such an |amazing performance. In Europe and America, all actors do theatre as a workshop, to keep themselves alive as actors. In life, you have to find things that are joyous to you, and theatre brings me joy.