Anupam Kher fondly recalls his experience of collaborating with THIS actor, calling the legendary figure a ‘king.’ Read to know full story!
Published: September 14, 2025 11:19 AM IST
Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently reminisced about one of the most cherished moments of his career- sharing screen space with legendary Dilip Kumar. In a candid conversation, Kher described the experience nothing short of extraordinary, calling it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that only a fortunate few get to encounter.
Anupam Kher recalls shooting his first film with Dilip Kumar
Calling him a “king,” Anupam recalled that Dilip Kumar worked entirely on his own terms. Even when he decided to wrap up without filming a single sequence, those around him never complained-such was the aura and respect he commanded. In a conversation with Filmfare, the veteran actor recalled, “On the first day of shooting Karma, I was ready by 7 am even though I had been filming for Arjun till 5 that morning. I told them I needed to be out by 7, and they kept delaying, pulling my leg. But I showed up fully prepared, beard on, in character as Dr Dang. It was my first day on set.”
Anupam Kher went on to vividly describe the majestic entrance of Dilip Kumar that morning. He recalled that the actor stepped out of a luxury car, dressed in white trousers, ordered tea in silver kettle with biscuits, took a nap and then left without filming anything. “At around 11 a.m., a white Mercedes arrived. One foot stepped out, wearing white trousers, then he emerged, just like a king. He said, ‘Bring me tea,’ and they served it in a silver kettle with biscuits. By the time he finished, it was lunchtime,” He said.
Meanwhile, Anupam waited in a full costume, rehearsing with full focus. He said, “I was eager to make an impression. After lunch, he said, ‘I’d like to take a nap,’ and I said, ‘Of course, sir.’ We shot a few other scenes in the meantime. Around 3:30, he said, ‘Let’s leave it for today. We’ll do it tomorrow.’ And I again said, ‘Yes sir, absolutely.’ He had a way of saying things that made it impossible to refuse. That’s why he did only about 60 films over a 50-year career. I’ve done 545 films in 40 years. But he, he was a king.”
Anupam Kher and Dilip Kumar’s iconic collaboration
Anupam Kher and Dilip Kumar collaborated together in four major films- Karma (1986), Kanoon Apna Apna (1989), Izzatdaar (1990), and Saudagar (1991). Though short, their professional collaboration left a lasting impact on Kher’s career.
Story Highlights
- Anupam Kher recalled sharing screen space with legendary Dilip Kumar
- Calling him a “king,” Anupam Kher recalled that Dilip Kumar worked entirely on his own terms
- Anupam Kher and Dilip Kumar collaborated together in four major films- Karma (1986), Kanoon Apna Apna (1989), Izzatdaar (1990), and Saudagar (1991).
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