Veteran actor Anupam Kher, currently in Goa for the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), has announced his plans to direct a film titled ‘The Return’, a co-production between Australia and India.
Speaking to ANI, Kher shared details about the project, which marks his second directorial venture after ‘Tanvi The Great’. On being asked about his collaboration on a film in Australia, Kher said, “Yes, I have never sat idle. When I don’t have work, I write stories or think about books. About 10-12 years ago, I got an idea for an English film called ‘The Return’. I wrote the story, and it revolves around a main character who goes to a foreign country.”
With Australia as the focus country at this year’s IFFI, Kher took the opportunity to pitch the idea to Australian representatives attending the festival. “I shared the story with some people from Australia. We are now working on the paperwork and permissions to make the film a reality,” he added.
He confirmed that ‘The Return’ would follow the release of ‘Tanvi The Great’, which is already completed and set to release soon.
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With an illustrious career spanning 35 years, Anupam Kher has acted in over 540 films and 100 plays. He has worked with acclaimed international directors like Ang Lee, David O. Russell, and Woody Allen, and his global projects include ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, ‘Hotel Mumbai’, and the TV series ‘New Amsterdam’. Honored with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, Kher is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Reflecting on his journey, Kher spoke about how failure shaped his success: “If you look at my life, it is a sum total of my failures. I have put a post today about this lecture which is going on in my master class in the evening. It’s written there, ‘I am the Success Story of My Failures.’
He continued, “I came from a poor family. I was the weakest student in my studies, although I loved playing games. Despite this, after 40 years, I have done 542 films and received many awards. It’s my attitude towards failure that has brought me here.”
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Kher is also receiving widespread appreciation for his performance in ‘Vijay 69’, a heartwarming tale of a 69-year-old man named Vijay who defies societal norms by training for a triathlon. Directed by Akshay Roy, the YRF Entertainment film premiered on Netflix on November 8.
Meanwhile, IFFI 2024, which began on November 20, is showcasing over 180 international films from 81 countries, including 16 world premieres, 3 international premieres, 43 Asian premieres, and 109 Indian premieres.
As part of the festival, a tribute programme has been organised to celebrate the 100th birth anniversaries of four Indian cinema legends: actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, director Tapan Sinha, Telugu cinema icon Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), and legendary singer Mohammed Rafi, according to Variety.
The 55th edition of IFFI will run until November 28.
