Bollywood veteran Anupam Kher has revealed that he was initially rejected for the lead role in his debut feature film, 'Saaransh' – a setback so severe that he almost decided to leave Mumbai for good. The actor shared the story during a masterclass titled "Giving Up is Not a Choice" at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa on Sunday (November 23).
Kher recounted that after rehearsing intensely for six months for the role of a grief-stricken father in 'Saaransh', he was abruptly informed that he had been replaced. The decision left him devastated and ready to abandon his struggle in the city. Before leaving, however, he chose to meet director Mahesh Bhatt one last time to seek an explanation. Moved by Kher's anguish and determination, Bhatt reconsidered and reinstated him in the film.
Released in 1984, 'Saaransh' went on to become a landmark in Kher's career, launching him into stardom and establishing him as one of Bollywood's most accomplished performers.
During the session, the 70-year-old actor reflected on the life lessons he drew from the episode, stressing how the experience taught him the value of perseverance and turned what felt like an ending into the beginning of his rise in the film industry.
Kher also spoke about the emotional weight of the film, in which he portrayed a father coming to terms with the murder of his only son, a student in the United States.
Throughout the masterclass, he drew on personal anecdotes to inspire aspiring filmmakers. He described his childhood in a crowded, lower-middle-class home shared by 14 family members, and recalled the carefree spirit of his grandfather, whose philosophy was to find joy in life's simplest moments.
Encouraging young storytellers to embrace their individuality, Kher said that true personality comes from being comfortable with oneself. "Why should life be easy or simple? Why should life not have problems? Because it's your problems which will make your biopic a superstar biopic," said the actor, who has won two National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards over a career spanning more than 40 years and more than 540 films.