‘Silver Linings...` highlight of my life and career: Anupam Kher

New Delhi: Anupam Kher might have won awards and accolades for his work in the past three decades but he feels it is his upcoming Hollywood film ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ which is going to be the defining point of his career.

The actor`s new film is opening the upcoming Mumbai Film Festival on October 18 and Anupam says he is proud to present the film to the Indian audience. "I am honoured to be presenting the film at this festival. It is not often that you get an opportunity to work with likes of Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. "The film is one of the major highlights of my life and career. It`s not the greatest role but for an Indian actor to work with them is a big achievement in itself," Anupam told PTI. Directed by David Russell, the movie is a dramatic comedy, based on a book by Matthew Quick. It follows the story of a man who returns to his home after spending eight months in a mental institution. Anupam plays a doctor in the film. The 57-year-old had recently walked the red carpet at the Toronto Film Festival for the premiere of the movie along with Cooper, De Niro and Lawrence. Anupam is happy that for the first time a Bollywood actor is working in an overseas project without an Indian backdrop. "There are a lot of Indian actors who have worked in Hollywood films but all of them have worked with Indian backdrop. I think it is the first time someone has gotten into a project which has no Indian connection whatsoever," he said. Anupam auditioned first for the role through Skype while he was in Jodhpur but due to technical snag couldn`t complete it. The next time he auditioned, he took help from a Bangladeshi waiter in his Toronto hotel room. "I was in Jodhpur when I first auditioned through Skype but due to bad connection couldn`t complete it. Later, I tried again when I was in Toronto but again couldn`t make the video. "I thought I would lose the role but a Bangladeshi waiter in the hotel I was staying in helped me make the video and send it to the production house." The National-award-winning actor has worked in more than 300 Indian films, with memorable roles in movies such as ‘Saaransh’, ‘Daddy’ and ‘A Wednesday’ among many others. And though he has had more supporting roles to his credit than solo leads, Anupam insists he has always felt like a hero in all his movies. "I have always felt that I have been the hero in my films. I never think of myself as a side actor or a character actor. So they (industry) can`t slot me. It is in India that we have this segregation but my every role has been equally important," he added. Anupam says he is hungry for good work and wants to reinvent himself with every movie and that is the reason he is open to any kind of cinema. "I am hungry for good work and with each film I want to reinvent myself. I want to work with new people, meet new people so that it keeps me excited. It`s not a conscious effort to work overseas but I am open to options. I cut down on my work, wrote a book, so that I don`t get bored," he said. He is also planning to return to direction and is currently working on two scripts. PTI