How Anupam Kher outscored film industry’s great actors with his performance in SAARANSH!

Mahesh Bhatt’s masterpiece SAARANSH that debuted brilliant actor Anupam Kher completed 31 years on May 25. 

Recalling the movie Anupam Kher went emotional and tweeted, “Today I complete 31 years in Film Industry. It has been the most amazing journey since SAARANSH. Happy Birthday to me.”

Well every actor is emotional about his debut film but in case of Anupam Kher SAARANSH is special because the movie not only made him a star overnight but fetched him the Best Actor Filmfare Award too! 

However what is most remarkable about this Filmfare Award is that Anupam Kher had outscored film industry’s heavy weight actors, who are revered as ‘God of Acting’ and went away stealing the award right under the nose of these stalwarts.

Readers would be anxious to know who these great actors? Well they are Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Naseeruddin Shah, genuinely acknowledged as the cornerstone actors of Indian Cinema. 

Incidentally these three veterans of acting were competing in the same category for Best Actors that year. Frankly speaking all the three actors had given their career best performances in their films but alas in front of Anupam Kher’s towering performance in SAARANSH all their performances became pigmy!! 

For instance Dilip Kumar was nominated for his mindboggling performance in MASHAAL. Even today the scene where he begs for help to rescue his dying wife on the deserted roads of Mumbai brings tears into our eyes. 

Similarly Amitabh Bachchan was nominated for his powerful performance in SHARAABI. The intense emotional scenes of confrontation between him and his father played by Pran were superbly enacted by Bachchan.

However the cream de la cream scene of the movie is the emotional burst of Bachchan in the hospital were his employee, played by Om Prakash, dies in his arms. 

The other most unfortunate actor who could not win the Filmfare award despite an outstanding performance was Naseeruddin Shah for his exceptional performance of a blind man in SPARSH.

People who have seen SPARSH will bet that after Dilip Kumar in DEEDAR (1951), Naseeruddin Shah was superb as the blind man in SPARSH. Though Naseer did not win Filmfare award but his performance was saluted by National Award.