New Delhi, Mar 3 (UNI) Anupam Kher is returning to his creative roots even as he pushes into new cinematic territory. Drawing inspiration from his 1984 breakthrough Saaransh, Kher is developing a Varanasi-set project he describes as “Saaransh 2,” centred on “a 70-year-old man who feels like a 28-year-old.” At the same time, he is gearing up for the worldwide streaming premiere of his latest directorial venture, Tanvi the Great, on Amazon Prime Video on March 3.
“I’m working on a story about Banaras — Varanasi — about a person who lives there,” Kher says. “I was discussing it with ‘Saaransh’ director Mahesh Bhatt… it’s ‘Saaransh 2,’ basically. This time, the man is not passive; he is aggressive in his thoughts. I feel the need to reinvent myself.”
The new ‘Varanasi’-set film will unfold as a “funny thriller, but human story,” capturing Kher’s signature focus on human emotions and positive storytelling. “I can only tell stories which are human, which have a human angle, which have a human feeling, but positive. I like happy endings,” he says.
Meanwhile, ‘Tanvi the Great’ brings a global audience the story of 21-year-old Tanvi Raina, played by debutant Shubhangi Dutt, an autistic woman determined to fulfill her late soldier father’s unfulfilled dream of standing at Siachen and saluting the Indian flag. The film portrays autism as a superpower rather than a disability, emphasizing agency, courage, and familial bonds.
Following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Market, the film screened in London, New York, attended by Robert De Niro, and Houston, before being shown to the President of India, the army chief, and 2,000 cadets at the Indian National Defence Academy. Kher highlights the recognition from the autistic community as particularly meaningful.
“We have presented Tanvi as a superpower… they like that because they say that there are some special things about them,” he says.
Produced by Anupam Kher Studio in association with India’s National Film Development Corporation, with music by Oscar winner M.M. Keeravani (RRR) and sound design by Oscar winner Resul Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire), Tanvi the Great is envisioned as a rare family film that uplifts and inspires. “It makes you believe in humankind. And that’s what we need in today’s time,” Kher notes.
Simultaneously, Kher is completing Khosla Ka Ghosla 2, an untitled Sooraj Barjatya film, and preparing a musical play titled Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane (Intimate Strangers), while nurturing young talent like Shubhangi Dutt in his upcoming productions, including Flicker.
The ‘Varanasi’ project and ‘Tanvi the Great’ together underscore Kher’s ongoing commitment to telling deeply human stories that entertain, inspire, and resonate globally.
UNI MI AAB