Ask Anupam
Anupam Kher on Acting

He is a craze today, a man who is wanted but a man who doesn’t want everything he is offered. Today, Manoj Bajpai. the favourite, who almost saw no future for himself once is sitting on a throne of his own making. What would you call, Manoj’s story? A story created, moulded and designed by luck. What is luck? What made the farmer’s son, Manoj, one of the most renowned actors in such a short time and on his own terms?

The other side of luck, those unlike Manoj are unlucky. A rich father from Ahmedabad firmly believed that his only son could make it as an actress. He first bought an apartment in a society where stars lived. He bought a Mercedes. He appointed a team of servants to look after Kumar Sahab’s (his son) needs. Two secretaries were appointed to take him around from studio to studio to meet filmmakers. He was flooded with promises. He was cheated. His father was beguiled. They gradually realised that they were being taken for a ride. They lost lakhs of rupees without Kumar Sahab making any headway. They tried their luck in Mumbai twice but clearly acting was not for Kumar. They did all they could but they gave up, they said luck was not on their side.

What is luck? This one three worded question has baffled me all my life. And as things stand today I know that I will never know what luck is till the last day of my life. Otherwise, tell me, if you can, why a JRD Tata becomes a Tata and Ramakant Chavan becomes a cobbler? Or why does Molly have all the happiness in the world and why does Peter have to wallow in all kinds of misery? Who takes these decisions for us ordinary human beings? There are people who believe in luck and there are those who don’t. And there are some who are just plain confused, not knowing what to make of luck? And if there is one group of human beings who are always groping in the dark, looking for ways and means to find this strong power called luck on their side it is all these sensitive, sensible stars, star directors, star producers and star distributors. And they are endlessly puzzled with the ways of the power, the mystery, the miasma that mystifies them. I’ll not go deeper into the philosophy of luck. There are pandits and philosophers and masters of the mind who claim to know everything about luck or are in the dark tunnel somewhere trying to find out more about luck, that four-letter word this world depends on, puts all its hopes on. Let me not philosophise any more but tell you two different stories where that mysterious element called luck they say is omnipotent. There are hundreds of such stories but I’ll tell you just two to show you, prove to you how mysterious this "thing" (what else shall we call it?) called luck is and how it teases us, titillates us, throws us on a pile of so many other victims of this "thing" called luck....

Take the story of this young ordinary-looking, almost dark man, the son of a farmer. He suddenly develops the urge to be an actor. He knows he can not make it if he continues helping his father in the fields. He seeks permission from his family and takes his first big step and reaches New Delhi. Luck decides to join him as a friend. He joins the National School of Drama. One of the best teachers of acting, Barry John, takes a liking for him, sees great potential in him. He takes him under his wings. When he realises Manoj is ready to take wings and soar like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, he lets him free. Luck joins him again in Mumbai. He meets a director like Mahesh Bhatt who sees some rare fire in him (something like what he had seen in me fifteen year ago). He gets him bit roles in films, major roles in TV serials. He makes the best use of them. One evening two young men are sitting in a restaurant. The young man is brooding, wondering about his future, perhaps. The other man keeps staring at him. After more than an hour of staring the young director (Ram Gopal Varma) goes upto the actor (Manoj Bajpai). He asks him if he is an actor. Manoj says yes, that’s just what he wants to be. Ram Gopal asks him not to sign any film for two months. Manoj sees some strange power in the man. He agrees. He starts Satya with Manoj Bajpai as the leading character. He plays Bhiku Mhatre, a deadly-lovable character who soon becomes a household name. There has never been a character played with so much passion and perfection in years. He does Kaun with Ramu and then Shool and grows into a cult figure. He is wanted by almost every big filmmakers. He plays his game very safely. He signs just a few films, refuses most of them. He wins all the major awards, including the National award for playing Bhiku Mhatre. If this is not luck playing a role, what is?

And then take this flip side story. A rich businessman tries every method, false and foul to make his son a hero. Nothing works. The father is a sick old man, lost in every way. The son is somewhere in the Gulf. Doing what? No one knows. Luck has played a nasty game with him.


MOHD IQBAL, PATNA
I am an all-rounder. I firmly believe that I can make it much better than some of the ruling actors. Why is luck not on my side? What should I do to woo luck?

First of all, it is not your belief in yourself that matters. There is a whole world of experts waiting to pass judgement on you. How can you (and I) woo luck when you don’t know what luck is?


CHAND KUMARI, ASSAM
My Assamese accent is my only problem? Can you suggest some methods to do away with this major problem which is coming in my way of making it as an actress? Stammering is my other problem. What should I do?

As far as stammering is concerned you’ll have to consult the right doctor. There is hope. I know of some of my friends who have been cured of stammering. You can start your struggle as an actress only when you are cured of stammering. Sorry, only you can help yourself with the help of some good doctors.


V KUMAR, PUNE
My parents want me to be an actor. They feel that I am very handsome compared to all the faces they see all day long on their TV. I want to be a doctor. They say nothing doing. What should I do?
Follow your own conscience. It is your life. Why should you pay for the mistakes they made? My strong suggestion is that you do what you want to do. Your parents cannot force you to do anything in which you don’t have any interest.


ROBERT D’SOUZA, SAUDI ARABIA
I wanted to be an actor but cruel circumstances came in my way. Now, by God’s grace I’m in a position to make my own film my own way. What kind of a film do you think I should make? I would like to make a film with a lot of newcomers who need the opportunities badly.
God bless you and your noble heart. May your dreams come true.

PRADEEP CHAWLA, LUDHIANA
I am sending you several photographs of mine. Please see them and tell me if I have it in me to be an actor.
Just being handsome doesn’t matter. You have to have the passion to act. You have to go through the grind to emerge triumphant as an actor. Many big filmmakers have photographs of handsome young men like you but I know they don’t even care to have a look at them in most cases. Sad but true.

JUDAH S, NASHIK
If Ajay Devgan can make it as an actor, why can’t I?
You must have the luck of an Ajay Devgan. When Ajay first came to films he was almost thrown out. He literally fought his way to the top.

SUSAN D’SOUZA, MUMBAI
How much of what appears in the gossip mags can be taken as the truth?
If you ask me, almost nothing. Remember the slap I gave a gossip journalist. He tried to ruin my life. My slap has changed his life with that slap. He is no more a gossip journalist. He is masseur in a gym abroad.