Anupam Kher on 'The Accidental Prime Minister': Cinema and politics cannot be separated

Vijay Gutte’s film ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ has been in the news ever since the makers released the trailer of the much-awaited film. It stars Anupam Kher as the former Indian PM Manmohan Singh in an adaptation of the book by the same name, written by Singh’s media advisor, Sanjay Baru. 

After Akshaye Khanna who plays the role of Sanjay Baru in the film opened up on the film and the chaos created around it, calling it a “mature entertainer” that is following the plotline of the book and does not stray from it, the lead actor Kher also spoke about it today. 

Speaking to IANS news agency, Kher said, "Look, when the audience is going to the theatre to watch a film, they are regular cine-goers and movie lovers. They are not entering the hall as a voter. But yes, when they come out, the film might linger in their mind then, cinema and politics cannot be separated, because they are a reflection of each other.”

He further said, "A filmmaker or an artiste really cannot figure out why people are voting for a political party. Some voters are loyalists; some are making a list of good and bad to choose a party and the government. How much can a film contribute to that"?

Anupam Kher also said the film is about a simple man who was born into a middle-class family and with his merit, rose to become the Prime Minister of India.

Apart from the said actors, German actor Suzanne Bernert has been cast as Sonia Gandhi, Arjun Mathur as Rahul Gandhi and Aahana Kumra as Priyanka Gandhi in the film. 

It is releasing on January 11 this year.