Acting needs to be learned, practised: Anupam Kher (Interview)

Acting might come naturally to many, but it is an art that needs to be "learnt" and "practised", says veteran actor Anupam Kher, whose acting academy has been included in a documentary series about incredible schools around the world.

He argues that reproducing emotions in front of the public needs work, which is something acting schools teach.

"Practice makes an actor excel. It is like cycling and motor driving. It is an art, which can be learnt and practised," Anupam told IANS in a phone interview from Mumbai.

"You express all emotions in your daily life. An actor, who can act out these emotions for the public, needs to practise that," he added.

Anupam runs acting school Actor Prepares and teaches acting as a lifestyle.

"Our tag line says, 'We bring out the actor in you'. In day-to-day life, our brain sends lots of signals. In acting, there are no signals. You have to believe in what you are trying to portray," he said.

"Our school not only makes you an actor, it makes you understand who you actually are as well... it gives you discipline and punctuality. It also teaches you a way of life," he added.

Actor Prepares has been selected to feature in a documentary series about incredible schools around the world by a Montreal-based production company Eurêka Productions.

The series titled "Schools Like No Others" will broadcast on TV5 in Canada next year.

"The school, which I started eight years ago, for that to be recognised is not only a great honour for me individually but also a great honour to the country...To achieve this in a short period of eight years is a great feeling," Anupam said.

The actor is excited that his school has been discovered on its own.

"It was not like we sent any entry. They have discovered us on their own. They got in touch with us a few months back; at that time I had no idea who they were," he said.

A versatile actor, Anupam has been seen in a mix of art-house and commercial films like "Saraansh", "Daddy", "Karma", "Darr", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara" in Bollywood.

He has been a part of crossover projects like "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Bride And Prejudice".

Recently, he was seen in Hollywood film "Silver Linings Playbook", which stars Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.

The actor also featured in television thriller series, "24", the desi version of American show by the same name.

He firmly believes that series like "24" will spark off a new tradition of Indian modifications of international fiction shows.

"Somebody has to take a risk and start that tradition. Others follow it. I am sure after '24', a lot of foreign fiction series will be made in India," he said.

The actor has many films in his kitty such as David Dhawan's "Mein Tera Hero", Punit Malhotra's "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein" and Yash Raj Films' "Daawat-E-Ishq", which stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra.

(Anjuri Nayar can be contacted at anjuri.n@ians.in)