Anupam Kher: ‘I will not accept any lifetime achievement award for the next 20 years’ |

At the 56th International Film Festival of India, Anupam Kher delivered one of the most engaging sessions of the year with his talk titled Giving Up Is Not a Choice.Anupam shared a series of personal stories spanning four decades of cinema — stories of setbacks, stubbornness, bold confrontations, and unforgettable triumphs. From answering an audience member’s phone call mid-session to personally asking attendees what they’d title their biopic, Anupam Kher kept the hall alive with humour and honesty.

He began with the startling revelation that he was replaced in his debut film Saaransh before shooting even began. “I had prepped for months,” he recalled, only to hear from Mahesh Bhatt that the role had gone to Sanjeev Kumar. In rage and pain, he confronted the director, saying, “Aap duniya ke number one fraud ho… main Brahmin hoon, main aapko shraap deta hoon!” Before he could flee Mumbai, Bhatt called him back — and the rest became cinematic history.

Now signing his 550th film in December, Anupam Kher made one of his strongest declarations yet: “I have told all media to never address me as a veteran or thespian… why should anyone else decide when I should retire? This is why I have decided I will not accept any lifetime achievement award for the next 20 years.”The auditorium erupted in applause as he delivered the statement with unmistakable conviction.

Anupam Kher also transported the audience to the sets of Silver Linings Playbook, recalling his first encounter with “the God of acting,” Robert De Niro. After persistently insisting on meeting him to offer a ruby Ganesh idol, he finally got a moment — but the real drama unfolded during a scene.De Niro unexpectedly threw Kher’s character out of the room and locked the door, leaving him shivering outside for 45 minutes. “I decided mujhe kaam hi nahi karna Hollywood mein,” Kher joked. But instead of backing down, he confronted director David O. Russell in front of the entire cast, questioning the logic of the staging. His boldness paid off — De Niro requested another rehearsal and later invited Kher to his van, acknowledging his insight.“Giving up was not a choice,” Anupam Kher concluded.On the work front, Anupam Kher’s previous release was Tanvi the Great.