Anupam Kher admits he’s a ‘bad dancer’ – and reveals his first acting role

Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Anupam Kher, who is well-known for his versatile performances in mainstream cinema as well as international productions, admitted at an event here on Monday that he is “a very bad dancer”, but he does “dance with emotions”.

He also went down memory lane and talked about his first outing as an actor when he was in Class V in school — he played a monkey in Lord Hanuman’s army.

The memory was triggered by the ‘gada’ (mace) he was carrying at the launch of the live-action film ‘Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan’, where he will be seen along with Makarand Deshpande and Navneet Kaur Dhillion. The film will be released theatrically on May 31.

Talking about his poor dancing skills, Kher said, “That is why the audience has not seen me dancing quite often.”

Two songs from the film, ‘Jamboora’ and ‘Zara Muskura’, were unveiled at the event in the presence of the cast and crew. It was in the context of the songs that the actor was asked about how it felt to dance to the songs.

“I am a very bad dancer,” Kher said. “That is why the audience has not seen me dancing that often. But very soon you will see me in a surprise avatar in this film. I wish I was a great dancer too. Actually, I dance with emotions. I believe I dance through my acting.”

The senior actor then shared his experience of working with children in the film.

“It was very difficult to match with the energy levels of the kids,” he averred. “Their questions, their spontaneity were unparalleled. A very famous director from Hollywood once said to me that when children are in the frame, don’t act, because nobody is looking at you.”

He went on to note: “I believe that is very true. Working on this film was like a crash course for me. It was a learning experience. I had great fun.”

Holding the ‘gada’, Kher said, “Can you believe it? I am holding a ‘gada’ right now, and my first-ever role, the first-ever, was of a monkey in Lord Hanuman’s. I was then in the fifth standard. This is the first time after school that I am holding a ‘gada’. I feel like a ‘Bada Bheem’.”

Looking very happy to be in the company of child artistes, Kher spoke about what he learnt from them.

“They are children of this generation. Trust me, I have done a lot of movies with child artistes in my career, but these kids are very straight, they are modern, aware, and know how to use the mobile phone,” Kher said.

“You can actually learn a lot from them,” he continued. “If you sit down with them, they’ll teach you a thing or two. Even I try to learn from them. I don’t go on sets thinking I am someone who knows things. I go as someone who is seeking something from people on sets.”

–IANS

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