With Tanvi The Great, actor Anupam Kher returned to filmmaking after 23 years since his directorial debut Om Jai Jagdish. In recent interactions with the media, Kher shared his thoughts on the film and its making... IBNS-TWF correspondent Souvik Ghosh writes...

Q. What made you direct Tanvi The Great after a gap of 23 years?

A. My first directorial film Om Jai Jagdish was not my written story. I was then excited to direct a film amid my busy acting career. After Om Jai Jagdish, I decided to make a film only when it would touch my heart and the audience subsequently. I found that story in a conversation four years ago. I went ahead with collecting a set of amazing people who are not only brilliant in their craft but also wonderful by heart. I worked hard for the story for three years!

Anupam Kher.

Q. How crucial is it to promote new faces for the growth of this industry at this moment?

A. I think it's very important. We don't launch faces but talents. Faces are launched for products, talents are for stories, medium, cinema. I was also launched as a new talent 40 years ago. I had got an opportunity to work. I could sustain all these years because of my work. I was very clear about casting somebody from my school (of acting) in Tanvi The Great. We need trained actors.

When I started working decades ago, an actor needed to have certain features. But now, individual looks and features are just add-ons because casting directors are looking for different faces for various characters. It's certainly important to have trained actors and talents. There is a possibility of having so many characters in the present time.

Anupam Kher (L) and Shubhangi Dutt (R) in Tanvi The Great.

This whole idea about hero and heroine has to go. I think we need actors. There is nothing called hero or heroine or villain or 'character actor' in world cinema. I tried to personally break that myth by doing it for myself. I played a 65-year-old man's role at 28 and I have survived because of that. So it's important that we follow that.

Q. What would be your suggestion to countless people who aspire to become actors but a few succeed?

A. I feel there is no schedule for dreams. Everyone is entitled to dream but one has to work hard towards it. People often consider an actor's job as something that anyone can pull off. Dance is often confused with acting but the two are completely non-identical. But if one works hard, he/she will make it. One has to be ready for a chance in life and for that, he/she has to rehearse regularly. An actor should be able to reflect their feelings on their expressions. So my ultimate suggestion would be to work hard and not give up.

Anupam Kher and others interact with President Droupadi Murmu during 'Tanvi The Great' screening at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Q. Tell us about the days when you were handed over the scripts on set?

A. We have started receiving scripts only in recent times. In earlier days, we never used to get scripts but even then we made some amazing movies. That's the reason I say Indian actors are far better if they are given the same amount of money and time. I have received scripts on the cigarette containers but those films went on to become superhits.

But of course we are now more organised. We took one year and travelled to multiple locations including Delhi, Goa to write the script of Tanvi The Great. I just wanted to make a film that resonates with the world audience.

Anupam Kher during the shooting of Tanvi The Great.

Q. It's become challenging to succeed launching new talents in recent times when actors even in their 60s are still dominating. How tough was it for you to select the actor for Tanvi's role?

A. I was convinced of working with a fresh talent in this film right from the beginning. There are multiple talented actors out there who could have played Tanvi efficiently but a fresh face makes the role more believable because of no record of previous films. I even faced hurdles in financing this film initially as some people had proposed the idea of roping in any established actress but I was convinced of working with someone new.

Anupam Kher with his cast of Tanvi The Great.

We just trained Shubhangi (Shubhangi Dutt, actress playing the titular role) for six months. The good thing about Shubhangi was that she kept on sending auditions everyday even without knowing what they were for. She used to send us auditions within hours of asking her to do one. It was an amazing quality of Shubhangi. I just needed a dedicated actor because getting her to act was my job. But she was unbelievably focussed, dedicated and worked hard.

Team 'Tanvi The Great' with President of India Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Q. How was working with M.M. Keeravani, who did the music of the film?

A. I had actually recorded the music with M.M.-sir a year prior to the shooting. We have had a number of sessions on music from the film. Music is the soul of this film because Tanvi has the speciality of singing. I thank him for all the time he gave us for the music of the film.

(Photos: Anupam Kher/Facebook/Studio)