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Anupam Kher on The Accidental Prime Minister: Manmohan Singh is not very expressive, so role became tougher

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Jan 10, 2019 04:59 PM IST

Anupam Kher has said the playing former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was tough for him as he isn’t very expressive.

Bollywood actor Anupam Kher recounts his prep for the role of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister. Describing it as “one of the most difficult roles he has ever essayed,” Kher says that he scoured thousands of hours of footage of Dr. Manmohan Singh on the internet to perfect the former prime minister’s mannerisms for the role.

Anupam Kher poses for a picture during a promotional event for the upcoming Hindi film The Accidental Prime Minister.(AFP)
Anupam Kher poses for a picture during a promotional event for the upcoming Hindi film The Accidental Prime Minister.(AFP)

 

“Dr. Manmohan Singh is not a very expressive person. You have never seen him laughing loudly. You have never seen him angry. His face is the same, whether he is expressing hurt, anger, disgust, pleasure or happiness. That means I had to internalise the whole thing,” Kher told Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview.

The Accidental Prime Minister is based on the book of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, who served as then PM Manmohan Singh’s media advisor. Akshaye Khanna plays Baru’s role in the movie. Ever since the first look of the movie has been out, Anupam Kher has been receiving a lot of attention for his striking resemblance to Dr Manmohan Singh.

Kher maintains that he has neither met Singh, nor was the latter interested in meeting him as “it was a controversial book and the former PM had rejected it.”

Anupam Kher and Akshaye Khanna at the trailer launch of film The Accidental Prime Minister. (PTI)
Anupam Kher and Akshaye Khanna at the trailer launch of film The Accidental Prime Minister. (PTI)

“We were shooting in a remote area in England and I became the prime minister for the duration. I told everyone to call me Mr. Prime Minister. The nameplate outside my makeup room read Prime Minister of India. I had audio tapes of Mr. Singh playing constantly in my ears,” he recalls.

Kher believes that his performance in the movie is a big achievement for him. “I think a lot of credit goes to my makeup and hair team, the wardrobe team and to my own training of being a student of drama,” he says.

The Accidental Prime Minister has been bogged by controversies ever since its trailer was released a few weeks ago. Directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the movie is set to hit the screens on January 11.

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