Robert De Niro wanted this famous Bollywood actor removed from a scene in his Oscar-nominated movie. But he refused to go

Veteran actor Anupam Kher, known for his stellar performances in both Bollywood and Hollywood, once had to fight for his presence in a crucial scene of the Oscar-winning film Silver Linings Playbook. The incident, recently recalled by his son Sikandar Kher, involved none other than Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, who had questioned Anupam’s involvement in a scene during rehearsals.

De Niro Didn’t Think Kher Belonged in the Scene

In a candid conversation on the Qisse with Kopal podcast, Sikandar Kher opened up about the lessons he learned from his stepfather Anupam, particularly the importance of standing one’s ground. Sikandar shared, “Robert De Niro is my father’s favourite. And he got a chance to work with him on Silver Linings Playbook. And there was a little situation on set, during rehearsal, De Niro thought that my father shouldn’t be in the scene.”

The issue arose when De Niro felt his character wouldn’t realistically allow Anupam’s character into the house. At that point, despite being a relatively unknown name in Hollywood, Anupam decided to speak up. Sikandar recalled, “He felt that his character wouldn’t let my dad’s character in the house because he didn’t like him. He thought, let me just give them a piece of my mind. And he went and gave the director (David O. Russell) a piece of his mind in front of the whole set; there’s Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Chris Tucker, Robert De Niro… He explained to them why he should be in the scene. Director looks at De Niro and asks, ‘Bob?’ And De Niro said okay.”

‘He Could’ve Lost That Part’ — But Didn’t

Sikandar added, “My father is a nobody there, he’s from India. He could’ve lost that part. But he went there and just did it, and held on to his self-respect. That’s the stuff I need to learn.” This moment became a lasting lesson in courage and dignity for Sikandar.

This wasn’t the first time Anupam had stood his ground. Sikandar also spoke about a similar situation when his father was replaced without notice in Saaransh. Before leaving Mumbai, Anupam confronted director Mahesh Bhatt — and his passionate stand won him the role.

Oscar Glory and a Memorable Role

Silver Linings Playbook, released in 2012 and directed by David O. Russell, turned out to be a massive success. It earned eight Academy Award nominations and won Jennifer Lawrence the Oscar for Best Actress. Despite playing a supporting role, Anupam’s resolve and performance stood out.

Anupam Kher was last seen in Tumko Meri Kasam and is now set to return to directing with his upcoming film Tanvi The Great.