Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar starrer Saand Ki Aankh sparked a huge controversy and debate around the issue of ageism in Hindi film industry.
While some actors felt such characters should be offered to senior actresses when there are already very few roles written for them, others supported Taapsee and Bhumi for playing the characters double their age in the film. And one such actor is Anupam Kher who has recently come out in support of the two actresses.
The veteran actor told the Indo-Asian News Service, “Such criticism is wrong. I don’t find any logic in it. It’s actor’s job to challenge oneself and do something beyond the comfort zone, and make it interesting.
“I was in my 20s when I portrayed a 65-year-old man in my first film. People appreciated my performance. So why not now? Why are these talented actresses being criticised? I have not seen ‘Saand Ki Aankh’ but I am proud of the girls that they have essayed the roles of older women. Acting ka matlab yahi hota hai ki kisi bhi role ko bakhoobi nibhaye.”
While clarifying his stand, Anupam also revealed that he disagrees with his friends Neena Gupta and Soni Razdan’s views on the controversy. “Soni and Neena are my good friends. I have worked with them in so many films and plays, but I have the liberty of telling them that they are wrong to think like that. Ye kya baat hui ki buddhe ka role tha toh senior actor ko karna chayie tha. It does not make sense. Now, people will say Eddie Murphy should not have played the role of a fat man in the ‘The Nutty Professor’…,” he said.
Anupam Kher is currently waiting for the release of his forthcoming film Hotel Mumbai coming out on 29 November. The Australian-American film is inspired by the 2009 documentary Surviving Mumbai about the Mumbai attacks in 2008 at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in India.