Anupam Kher Recalls Sleeping On Railway Platform, Creating Fantasy World To Deal With 'Miserable' Reality - EXCLUSIVE

Before

becoming one of Indian cinema’s most respected actors, Anupam Kher went through days of intense struggle, loneliness and self-doubt in Mumbai. In an emotional conversation with Times Group Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar, the veteran actor opened up about surviving difficult times by creating an imaginary world where he always emerged victorious. Recalling the period when he spent nearly a month sleeping on a railway platform in Bandra East, Anupam spoke candidly about dignity, depression and the emotional strength that helped him continue chasing his dreams. He also shared a deeply personal memory involving a letter from his grandfather that ultimately changed his perspective on hardship forever.

Anupam Kher slept on railway platform for 27 days!

Talking about how he mentally coped during his struggling days, Anupam Kher said, "To deal with my miserable times I use to create a world of fantasy. In that fantasy world I was always a winner. End mein hero ki jeet hoti hai. To main apni life ka hero tha." He revealed, "Main railway platform pe so raha tha. 27 din Bandra East mein main railway platform par raha."Anupam further explained that over the years, those experiences shaped his philosophy towards life. "Later on, it became my philosophy that what does not happen in your life or what bad happens in your life, many years later it become the stories of your life," he shared. Even today, the actor said he tries to look at difficult situations through that lens.

However, Anupam clarified that his optimism did not mean he was emotionally unaffected by those struggles. The actor admitted that he often felt depressed, humiliated and emotionally broken during that phase. "Par aisa nahi tha ki main depressed nahi hota tha. Aisa nahi tha ki mujhe udaas nahi hota tha," he confessed.Recalling the humiliation he experienced while sleeping on railway platforms despite being highly educated, Anupam said, "Maine railway platform pe to maine soch bhi liya tha ki main wapas chala jaunga. Because usse zyada beizzati ka ehsaas kabhi nahi hua. Lack of dignity, beizzati. Gold medalist tha main. Aur padha likha aadmi zyada beizzati mehsoos karta hai," he explained.

Anupam Kher recalls grandfather's motivating letter

The veteran actor also recalled writing an emotional letter to his grandfather during that difficult period. According to Anupam, letter-writing carried deep emotional value in those days. "Adarniya babu ji main kya kar raha hoon is nagri mein rehkar… yahan to main dekhiye railway platform pe soya hoon. Main yahan nahi rehna chahta," he remembered writing. Anupam said he even told his grandfather that Mumbai did not deserve him.

The actor shared that his grandfather's letter eventually reached his then close friend, now wife Kirron Kher's address, where he used to receive correspondence at the time. Until then, very few people knew about the conditions he was living in, except his brother. What followed, according to Anupam, became one of the defining moments of his life.Recalling his grandfather’s reply, the actor said, "Usmein likha tha ki 'Beta Bittu, main samajh sakta hoon tumhari situation but yaad rakh tere mata-pita ne bahut kuch kiya hai." The letter reminded him of the sacrifices his parents had made for his education and dreams. His grandfather’s one line, however, stayed with him forever. "Ruk ja aur ek baat yaad rakh bheega hua aadmi baarish se nahi darta," Anupam recalled, adding that he will never forget that.Watch the full interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB85bSy37PU

Anupam Kher's struggle and eventual success gives us all hope that trying and trying again till we reach our goal is the only way to live life.