Anupam Kher has the power and audacity to tear me to bits says Mahesh Bhatt

By News Helpline, Mumbai - 09th Mumbai, 2019

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who launched actor Anupam Kher in Hindi film industry with his film ‘Saaransh’, has said that when 64 year old actor has the power and audacity to tear him to bits. He added saying that he is proud of Kher’s achievements.

Mahesh Bhatt was interacting with the media at Anupam Kher’s book launch titled ‘Lessons Life Thought Me Unknowingly’ on Thursday in Mumbai.

Anupam Kher is a follower of right-wing politics and huge supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Whereas, Mahesh Bhatt is more of a follower of liberal and secular political ideology, when asked both of them, despite having completely opposite political ideologies what keeps them together, Mahesh Bhatt, “I am really glad that this question came. I would like you (audience) to keep wondering about what keeps us together irrespective of our totally different political ideologies. I remember before 2014 general elections, Karan Thapar (journalist) who tried to pitch us against each other in a television interview and that time, he (Anupam Kher) took me on and disagreed with me but that’s what Anupam Kher is.”

Bhatt added that Kher has the power and audacity to take on him, he said, “He has the power and the audacity to tear me to bits when he believes in it. And I think that’s my success that I did not indebted him in any way. I think that’s what free societies and homes are. Love is not dependant on the diverse views that you may have. Why can’t we live under that sky where we may disagree with each other vehemently? And what can’t we retain the elemental love and affection that is essential for the survival of human race?”

Anupam Kher won Filmfare best actor award for his first film itself which titled ‘Saaransh’ (1984) which was directed by Mahesh Bhatt.

Bhatt said his heart fills with pride when Kher flies high in the sky, he said, “I think is the glory of our nation where you can have diverse views. The great epicenter of Hindu thought which is Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), people with different ideologies sat down and spoke till the cows came home, they disagreed with each other but they did not lose affection and respect for each other. So, He (Anupam Kher) is my own.  I have given birth to him. When he flies, my hearts fills with pride. When he takes me on and when he disagrees with me, it’s a sign that this is the kind of mind you must inculcate. You cannot make people who are clones of you. I have something against a society which reduces everybody into one kind of a being. He has distinct fingerprint and world-view. I respect that and I think that is what keeps us together.”

Adding to Mahesh Bhatt’s statement, Kher said, “I think Bhatt saab has spoken on my behalf also. There is one line in my play through which I pay tribute to 3-4 people that goes ‘If life is a battlefield of Kurukshetra and me the questioning Arjun, Mahesh Bhatt is my Krishna’ and that will stay always like this. Whenever we had arguments with our different ideologies then, Bhatt asked me ‘the lines which you recite in you plays come within your heart?’ Then I told him that ‘I will recite those lines from my heart till my last breath because that has been taught to me and those are my values.”

On work front, Anupam Kher last seen onscreen in ‘One Day: Justice Delivered’. Whereas, Mahesh Bhatt is returning to direction after many years with ‘Sadak 2’ which stars Sanjay Dutt, Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur in lead roles.