Anupam Kher to play Jayaprakash Narayan in Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency

Veteran actor Anupam Kher will play activist and politician Jayaprakash Narayan aka JP Narayan in Emergency. The film sees Kangana Ranaut essay India’s former prime minister Indira Gandhi. 

Sharing the reason for signing Kher for this role, Ranaut, who is also the film’s director, said in a statement, “JP Narayan was the most powerful human being to have happened after Mahatma Gandhi in politics in recent Indian history. The kind of influence he had on people was enormous. I wanted an actor who had the personality and calibre to match up to that larger-than-life persona of Lok Neta JP Narayan. Anupamji with his stature, his acting skills and his overall persona fit into the role perfectly. I am privileged and humbled that he chose my script. I am nobody to choose him. He chose my script and I am honoured, to say the least.” 

JP Narayan (1902-1979) was a part of India’s freedom struggle as a member of the Indian National Congress. He is known for his contribution to quite a few political causes, including his opposition to the Emergency, which was imposed by Indira Gandhi.

Kher said that his character is the hero of the film. “Kangana’s interpretation of JP Narayan is fascinating. She believes and it’s also the truth that JP Narayan is a hero of the film, not just because I am playing the character [but] also because that’s what he was. Her treatment of the character is like that of a hero.” 

Revealing how he prepared for the role, the actor added, “As far as essaying the role is concerned, even though I did my own research, Kangana made my job easy by providing me with her interpretation and the homework that she had done. That’s why it was easy to step into the shoes of JP Narayan. When you have a director, who knows his or her job, it becomes easy for an actor to follow those instructions and perform. Of course, there is hard work that goes into it but I am very happy that I am essaying the role of a historical figure who changed the scenario of independent India.” 

Interestingly, Kher also played an activist during the Emergency in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar (2017).