Anupam Kher meets CM Suvendu, announces new Bengali film 'Shuru Te Shuru' after 26 years

On the occasion of the 189th birth anniversary of literary icon Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, actor Anupam Kher met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the PWD tent around noon on Friday. Kher, who arrived in Kolkata on Thursday evening, sought the meeting to discuss his upcoming cinematic venture in the state. He officially announced his return to Bengali cinema after a hiatus of 26 years with his next directorial project titled Shuru Te Shuru (From the Beginning). His last major association with Bengal was Rituparno Ghosh’s acclaimed 1999 film Bariwali, which starred his wife, Kirron Kher.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister extended his best wishes for the film and discussed broader cultural initiatives for the state. Kher expressed his deep desire to set up a premier acting school in Bengal to nurture local talent, praising the current administration's developmental focus. He noted that Bengal holds immense artistic potential and commended the visible changes under the new governance, jokingly mentioning how clean Kolkata appeared right after he stepped off his flight.

The interaction took a humorous turn when journalists brought up a recent political jibe made by BJP State President Shamik Bhattacharya regarding the political landscape and the Trinamool Congress. Bhattacharya had remarked that hair could grow on Anupam Kher’s bald head before the Trinamool Congress could ever return to power in Bengal. Responding to the comment with his signature wit, the veteran actor laughed it off, asking the journalists playfully if they actually wanted to see hair grow back on his head.