Anupam Kher on his Bollywood career: ‘Owe my achievements to country, people’

• "I believe courage comes from truthfulness and a sense of respect”, he added as he addressed youngsters
• Kher was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts
• The actor has been in the industry for close to four decades and has acted in films such as 'The Kashmir Files', 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and 'Lamhe', among others

Veteran actor Anupam Kher, whose career spans nearly four decades, said that what he has achieved today is because of the love and admiration of people. The 68-year-old actor, a recipient of two National Awards among many other laurels, was speaking at a panel discussion organized by cultural organization 'Khola Hawa' in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Culture at the Indian Museum on Sunday.

During the discussion, the 'Kashmir Files' actor recalled his long association with the film and said, “I have acted in 534 films in the last 38 years. It was a long journey from Shimla to Chandigarh to Mumbai. Anupam Kher was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.

"I was born in a free country... I believe courage comes from truthfulness and a sense of respect," said the actor, who was born and brought up in the Himachal Pradesh capital. The seasoned actor has a strong theater background and has acted in several plays. He is a graduate of the National School of Drama and was also its chairman.

He also worked with Robert De Niro in the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook and described the Hollywood superstar as "the best actor in the world".

Kher's 'Saaransh' and 'Utsav' (released in 1984) cemented his position in the film industry as an actor portraying varied roles and since then the versatile actor has not looked back.

Kher, who has acted in films like Lamhe, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Bend it Like Beckham, The Accidental Prime Minister and The Kashmir Files' to name a few, said he has always been a person who believed in the spirit of freedom.