Why Did Anupam Kher Initially Reject the Role of Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister?


Anupam Kher reveals why he initially turned down the role of late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister, citing a surprising reason: “It was very difficult…”

Anupam Kher took to Instagram to pay tribute to India’s late former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26, 2024. In the emotional post, Kher shared his personal experience and memories of the late leader. The actor recalled how he had initially rejected the role of Dr. Singh in The Accidental Prime Minister, a film in which Kher portrayed the 13th Prime Minister of India. He admitted that he had found the role challenging and initially declined it due to “political reasons.”

Kher explained, “I thought if I played this role, people might think I made the film to mock him. Some of the usual critics did say that.” However, he went on to say, “But if I had to pick three or four roles in my life that I believe I portrayed truthfully, The Accidental Prime Minister would be one of them.”

Reflecting on the difficulty of embodying Dr. Singh, Kher shared, “It was really tough to play this role. While I could replicate his physical aspects, I didn’t want to turn him into a caricature.”

Watch the video here:

In his heartfelt Instagram tribute, Kher praised Dr. Singh’s personality, calling him “a completely honest, great economist, and a very humble person.” He also expressed his condolences, writing, “Some might say he wasn’t the most astute politician, but he was truly a good man. My heartfelt condolences to his family. Om Shanti.”

Kher concluded by saying that his time spent studying Dr. Singh for the film made him feel as though he had personally spent much time with the former PM.

On the professional front, Kher was last seen in Vijay 69 this year and is set to appear in Emergency next.


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