Anupam Kher on 'Uunchai' - 'Want to tell the world don't write us off'

Mumbai: Veteran actor Anupam Kher follows the philosophy that age is just a number and said his upcoming feature 'Uunchai' aligns with his belief system.

Featuring Kher, Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani and Danny Denzongpa as four friends in their twilight years, the Sooraj Barjatya-directed drama follows these characters on a trek that turns out to be a personal, emotional and spiritual journey as they battle their physical limitations and discover the true meaning of freedom.

The actor, who was in his late 20s when he played the role of a 65-year-old man in 1984's 'Saaransh', believes elderly characters are often stereotyped but 'Uunchai' doesn't 'write us off'.

"People usually say that if you cross 60, you don't have possibilities. But that is not happening in 'Uunchai'. It's not a serious film. It's about three believable people. My faith in this film is based on my own philosophy of life that it's people who decide you have become old. Here, we have the habit of calling uncle ji and aunty ji. When I was working with Robert De Niro, a 19-year-old assistant would call him Bob or Robert. We don't do this here. Here people are easily tagged. So, this is a different film," Kher told the top news agency.

The movie marks Kher and Barjatya's fourth collaboration after 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun....!', 'Vivaah' and 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'. The actor said it was an instant yes when the director narrated the script of 'Uunchai'.

"I was so happy because I wanted to tell the world - don't write us off. I have been saying this for many years and that was the reason why I started working on myself and my body," he said.

The movie challenges the perception that 60 is the age to 'retire', Kher added.

"I believe life starts post that and you discover new things to do. I have never made my parents feel redundant. My mother is 84 and I still learn so much from her knowledge of life."