Anupam's double whammy at South Asian film fest

Mumbai, Oct 5 (IANS) Currently on top of the world following the surprise success of his latest release "Khosla Ka Ghosla", Bollywood actor Anupam Kher is excited about his two films - "Jaan-e-Mann" and "Hope And A Little Sugar" - going to the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.

"Tanuja Chandra's 'Hope And A Little Sugar' opens the South Asian International Film Festival and Shirish Kunder's 'Jaan-e-Mann' closes the festival - both feature me. There's more. In Tanuja's film I play a Sardarji whose family is a victim of 9/11 while in Shirish's film I'm cast as a dwarf," Anupam told IANS.

Regretfully, Anupam won't be in New York for his double whammy when "Hope And A Little Sugar" and "Jaan-e-Mann" will be screened. The festival is starting Oct 6.

"A prior commitment on television in Mumbai prevents me from attending the festival. That's sad. Not too many actors get a chance to be in the opening and closing film of a festival."

This is the first time since Kamal Haasan's "Appu Raja" that a mainstream actor has been cast as a dwarf.

"I won't tell you how I played the dwarf. But I didn't stand in a trench to look short. It was far more complicated."

Anupam is all praise for Kunder.

"'Jaan-e-Mann' is a rare kind of directorial debut. Shirish has invented a new language for cinema. And it's so wonderful that he's finally being given his due. For long he was too shy and withdrawn for people to recognise him. Nowadays you push yourself, or you get pushed out."

Anupam loves to work with new talent.

"Dibakar Banerjee had to go through a long period of struggle to make 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'. All of us actors were with him right through. We had to make sure that the film reaches cinema halls. And our perseverance has paid off. In spite of all odds 'Khosla...' is a hit. I wish it was taken to international festivals."

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