Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Anupam Kher Says He Refuses the Burden of Stardom
Anupam Kher is a well-known actor who says he does not want fame to separate him from everyday life.
He enjoys ordinary places and activities, such as sitting in a lobby or travelling by bus.
At 71, he has returned to performing on stage after several years away.
His new play, Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane, uses music and humor to explore loneliness and relationships.
Kher and the other performers have taken the show to 45 cities in the United States and Canada.
He says audiences abroad connect with stories about India and recognize feelings from their own lives.
The play was written and directed by Gajendra Ahire.
It also features Swaroop Sampat, who has returned to theatre after almost 20 years.
Anupam Kher says he avoids treating stardom as a burden and lives a normal life.
At 71, Kher has returned to the stage after several years away.
His musical-theatre experiment, Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane, explores loneliness, relationships and companionship.
Kher and the troupe have performed in 45 cities across the United States and Canada.
Written and directed by Gajendra Ahire, the play also marks Swaroop Sampat’s return to theatre after nearly two decades.
- Who
- Actor Anupam Kher and the cast of Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane.
- What
- Kher has returned to the stage in a musical-theatre production about loneliness, relationships and companionship.
- When
- Kher is 71; Swaroop Sampat is returning to theatre after almost two decades.
- Where
- The production has toured 45 cities across the United States and Canada.
- Why
- Kher says he avoids carrying the burden of stardom because he believes living apart from ordinary life can lead to loneliness.
- Production
- Jaane Pehchaane Anjaane
- Lead performer
- Anupam Kher
- Kher's age
- 71
- Tour reach
- 45 cities across the United States and Canada
- Writer and director
- Gajendra Ahire
- Themes
- Loneliness, relationships and companionship
- Swaroop Sampat's return
- Her first return to theatre in almost two decades