Veteran actor Anupam Kher is looking back at one of the most memorable chapters of his career as Subhash Ghai’s Karma completes 40 years. The 1986 action drama, which featured legendary actor Dilip Kumar alongside Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Naseeruddin Shah, became a major commercial success and continues to be remembered by Bollywood fans.
For Anupam Kher, however, Karma was much more than just another successful film. It marked an important turning point in his journey and helped him become a familiar face in mainstream Hindi cinema.
Kher took to social media to celebrate the milestone and recalled how his career changed after the film. He explained that while Saaransh had established him as a serious actor, Karma introduced him to the world of commercial cinema on a much larger scale.
His portrayal of the ruthless antagonist Dr Dang became one of the most talked-about performances in the film. The character’s distinctive personality, dialogues and commanding screen presence helped Kher create an unforgettable villain who remains popular even decades later.
‘Karma made me a commercial star’
Looking back at his journey, Kher credited Saaransh with establishing his identity as an actor but said Karma took his career in a completely different direction. The film allowed him to enter the larger-than-life world of mainstream Hindi cinema and gave him wider recognition among audiences.
The actor also expressed gratitude towards filmmaker Subhash Ghai for trusting him with the challenging role of Dr Dang. According to Kher, being given such an important negative character so early in his career played a major role in shaping his future.
Working with Dilip Kumar was the biggest gift
While the commercial success of Karma was significant, Kher considers the opportunity to work with Dilip Kumar one of the greatest experiences of his career.
The veteran actor remembered watching Dilip Kumar perform from close quarters and learning from the legendary actor’s subtle expressions, pauses and silence. For Kher, simply sharing the screen with an actor of Dilip Kumar’s stature was an experience more valuable than any award.
Kher’s tribute highlighted the deep respect he continues to have for the late actor, whose contribution to Indian cinema has inspired generations of performers.
Dr Dang remains one of Kher’s iconic roles
Even after four decades, Dr Dang remains among Anupam Kher’s most recognisable characters. The actor’s powerful dialogue delivery and menacing performance gave the villain a personality that audiences still remember.
One of the film’s iconic moments involving Dr Dang continues to be associated with Kher, underlining just how strongly the character has stayed in popular memory.
Karma went on to become one of the notable hits of the 1980s and brought together some of the biggest names in Hindi cinema. For Kher, the film offered both professional recognition and memories that have stayed with him throughout his long career.
Anupam Kher continues to remain active
Four decades after Karma, Anupam Kher remains one of the busiest veteran actors in the industry. His career has included hundreds of performances across different genres and languages, with roles ranging from serious drama to comedy and memorable negative characters.
On the work front, Kher has completed shooting for Khosla Ka Ghosla 2, the sequel to the much-loved 2006 comedy. The original film has developed a strong cult following over the years, and the sequel has generated curiosity among audiences.
As Karma completes 40 years, Kher’s memories serve as a reminder of how one film and one character can completely change an actor’s journey. For him, Karma was not only a blockbuster but also the film that gave him commercial stardom and the priceless opportunity to learn from Dilip Kumar.
