Anupam Kher has expressed his happiness after receiving a heartfelt letter from filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who reflected on the actor’s journey spanning over four decades. The actor shared the filmmaker’s message on Instagram, along with an emotional response. Mahesh Bhatt’s letter traced Anupam Kher’s journey from playing B. V. Pradhan in ‘Saaransh’ to voicing Jatayu in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’.Anupam Kher described the letter as one of the most meaningful acknowledgements of his career. He also thanked Mahesh Bhatt for supporting him during his early years and continuing to recognise his growth as an actor.
Anupam Kher says Mahesh Bhatt’s letter made him emotional
Sharing the message on Instagram, Anupam Kher expressed how deeply the filmmaker’s words had affected him. He described the letter as a recognition of his 42 years in cinema and credited Mahesh Bhatt with opening the doors for his journey in films.Anupam Kher wrote, “FROM SAARANSH TO JATAYU!’A LETTER FROM MAHESH BHATT SAAB! ❤️🥹Dear Bhatt Sahab,I am the happiest man on earth today.Your message came out of the blue yesterday, and I was completely unprepared for it. I read it with a heart full of gratitude and felt deeply humbled. It was like receiving the most beautiful certificate for 42 years of work—and the warmest acknowledgement from the person who first opened the doors of cinema for me.”
Actor calls Mahesh Bhatt his mentor and teacher
Anupam Kher also spoke about the personal significance of his association with the filmmaker. Mahesh Bhatt directed him in ‘Saaransh’, the 1984 drama that marked an important chapter in the actor’s career. The actor said their relationship went beyond the professional connection they shared through the film.He added, “You are so much more to me than the director of my first film, Saaransh. You are my mentor, my friend and my teacher. To receive these words from one of the finest directors, writers and authors of our country means more to me than I can express.Thank you for believing in me, for seeing my journey with such generosity, and for being such an important part of my life. I will keep striving to do work that makes you proud—and perhaps earn a letter like this from you every now and then.With immense gratitude and love,Anupam 🙏🥹🦅.”Mahesh Bhatt reflects on Anupam Kher’s journeyIn his letter, Mahesh Bhatt recalled watching Anupam Kher during a visit to Sweden. He observed a change in the actor’s confidence and described how his interactions with people reflected a greater sense of ease.Mahesh Bhatt wrote, “From B. V. Pradhan in Saaransh to Jatayu in Ramayana—what a journey. The rise and the rise and the rise of you. I am so happy for you.I loved seeing you in Sweden. That experience seems to have entered your body somehow. You look different. I saw the way you shook hands with people—your whole hand, your whole attention given to the person in front of you. You have never looked so sure of yourself, and so free of yourself.”Mahesh Bhatt also revisited a scene from ‘Saaransh’ that had stayed with him over the years. He recalled Anupam Kher’s performance as B. V. Pradhan and described a particular moment involving an elderly woman in a park.“It took me back to that old woman in the park in Saaransh. Pradhan has let go of his son Ajay’s ashes, and there she is, playing with the children. The way you looked at her. That was your Buddha moment. Life had struck you, and something of that moment has stayed in your eyes, your body, your heart. I saw it again in Sweden.I keep thinking of that 28-year-old actor and that 34-year-old filmmaker talking in the compound of my home in Pali Hill. What did we give each other that day? I don’t know. I could never have imagined all that would follow.”
Mahesh Bhatt praises Anupam Kher’s performance as Jatayu
The filmmaker concluded by expressing his happiness at seeing how far the actor had travelled since their first collaboration. He wrote, “You make me so, so happy. I feel the happiness of someone who once held your hand and now watches you go where I could never have taken you. And somewhere, a boy from the hinterland will see you and dare to come here with his own impossible dream.What more can I ask for, Anupam? What more can I ask for?All my love,Mahesh Bhatt”Anupam Kher recently lent his voice to Jatayu in ‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’. The character, the king of birds, plays an important role in the film’s climax. The actor’s contribution has also received appreciation following the film’s release.