Anupam Kher On Ratna Pathak’s ‘Acting Institutes In India Are Shops’ Remark: ‘Bitterness Se Bolta Hai’

Actor Anupam Kher has reacted to Ratna Pathak Shah’s comment about acting institutes, calling them “shops.” While he respects her opinion, he questioned if she would say the same about the National School of Drama (NSD). Speaking to Pinkvilla, Anupam, who also runs his own acting school, said he doesn’t feel the need to justify anything to her. When asked about Ratna’s remark, Anupam said that it’s her opinion. “I don’t have to react. It’s her point of view. Main Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah) ka bhi ek interview dekh raha tha. Woh bhi bol rahe the ki…” [I was watching an interview of Naseeruddin Shah, he was also saying that…]”. He went on to question, “I think both of them are from National School of Drama, will they call National School of Drama a shop?” he said.

Anupam wondered if the comment was made out of bitterness. He said, “So kabhi kabhi aadmi bitterness se kuch baatein bolta hai. Kabhi kabhi aadmi philosophy mein bhi kuch baatein bolta hai. Kabhi kabhi aap isliye bhi baat bolte hain, taaki woh savaal ban sake koi [Sometimes people say something out of bitterness. Sometimes they say it philosophically. Sometimes you also say something so that it can become a question].” He added, “But it is not important for me to sort of justify. What they think, they think. It’s a shop. It’s perfectly alright.”