Veteran actor and filmmaker Anupam Kher, who recently made his return to direction after 23 years with Tanvi The Great, is back in the spotlight, this time as an author. Anupam launched his fourth book in Mumbai on Wednesday, titled Different But No Less. The book documents the making of Tanvi The Great, a film that almost never got made. The book captures the struggles behind the project, from initial rejections to casting stories, and sheds light on the inspiration that led Anupam to center his comeback around the story of an autistic girl. “I wrote this film because I needed strength more than money to write it and then eventually make it,” said Anupam. “That’s how this book came out, and it’s the strongest thing I have done in my life.”
The launch event was a star-studded gathering of friends, colleagues, and collaborators. Among those present were filmmaker and long-time mentor Mahesh Bhatt, actor Boman Irani, who also hosted the event, Gajraj Rao, Anang Desai, and director Pankuj Parashar, with whom Anupam worked in films like Chaalbaaz.
Speaking about Anupam’s journey, Mahesh Bhatt offered an emotional reflection. “One of the greatest strengths of this kid, I call him a kid because when I met him he was 28, although I was only 34, but still, is his vulnerability,” Bhatt said. “I don’t know any other attribute apart from vulnerability when it comes to him. And a person who cannot be vulnerable cannot be courageous. I’m proud that a journey we began all those years back has landed us in this moment. I can wholeheartedly claim, proudly, that I have contributed somewhere in his journey, and I think his flight has just begun.”
However, the film has struggled at the box office, clashing with Mohit Suri’s musical Saiyaara. Addressing the film’s performance, Boman asked Anupam how he felt about the underwhelming commercial response. To that, he responded with characteristic conviction: “To everyone present here, if I had to ask you what your top three films of all time are, I’m sure nobody would even remember the box office business they did when they released. What I have achieved with this film, no other person could achieve in a hundred, thousand years.” Boman, in his trademark wit, joked that none of the actors, including himself, were paid for working on Tanvi The Great, as they were simply following Anupam’s vision, who, in turn, was following his heart.
Also present was actress Shubhangi, who played the titular role of Tanvi in the film, and she read a chapter from the book for the audience. Her performance in the film was praised by Boman, who said, “This is your Saaransh moment. What Bhatt Saab did for Anupam is what he has done for you.”
