From Rs 400 in the bank to charging Rs 3 crore per film, Anupam Kher recalls when he was ‘almost bankrupt’: ‘My house, office was mortgaged’ 

It was in 1984 when a 28-year-old Anupam Kher began his journey in cinema, debuting as a 60-plus retired common man in Mahesh Bhatt’s perturbing Saaransh. Cut to 2025, Anupam has starred in over 500 films, and continues to hold his ground in the industry. However, there was a time in the early 2000s when Anupam’s career took a difficult turn. He had a production house and was experimenting with television, and that phase pushed him to his lowest financially, so much so that he was almost bankrupt.

He recalled this period on Unfiltered with Samdish, saying, “In 2004, I had almost gone bankrupt because I wanted to become a TV tycoon.” Explaining how things spiralled, he added, “We were borrowing money. And I was the first person in my family to ever see Rs 10,000 at once in our family’s 100-year existence. The interest kept mounting and it went so high that my chartered accountant told me we were on the verge of bankruptcy because there was only Rs 400 left in the bank. Both my house and office were mortgaged.”

Anupam said all of this unfolded at a time when he was doing back-to-back big-banner films, and there was a widespread perception that he was “a very happening actor.” Yet, despite the image, he was struggling silently. Over time, he managed to bounce back, and today, he says he is in a far stronger position. When asked how much money he charges per film, Anupam said, “Right now, I make around Rs 2 to 3 crore per film. I’m doing well.”

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Anupam has spoken earlier about overcoming bankruptcy. Speaking to Hindustan Times, he said, “In 2004, because I am not a business-minded person, I almost went bankrupt and then started all over again. I am a sum total of my failures. People started calling me thespian, veteran, and legend, which meant you should be given a lifetime achievement award and walk into the sunset. But I refused to do that. I went abroad and did an American series. After turning 60, people think about retirement but I started building my body.”