Kirron Kher turns 71: Anupam Kher shares a heartfelt note with unseen pictures

Actress Kirron Kher is celebrating her 71st birthday today. A timeless beauty and a popular television judge, Kirron is known for her impeccable performances in films such as Devdas, Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Sardari Begum and many more. Kirron married Bollywood actor Anupam Kher in 1985, and the duo completed 38 years of togetherness this year. The couple never shy away from expressing love for each other on social media and to mark the occasion of her birthday, Anupam penned a heartfelt note for Kirron, sharing some never seen before pictures of the actress.

Also read: Anupam Kher on the strain surrounding the destiny of Neena Gupta and his films: We're not that type of actor who became an actor by mistake or chance 

The first picture features young Kirron. The second picture is a family portrait, including Anupam and their son Sikandar Kher. Other pictures show her playing badminton and posing with her friends and family. The last picture shows Kirron posing with Anupam and the late actor-director Satish Kaushik.

Anupam captioned the post saying, “Happy Birthday #Kirron! May God give you long, happy, peaceful and healthy life! I have known you for close to fifty years now. I saw you first time in 1974 at Deptt of #IndianTheatre in Chandigarh. You were the star student of #PanjabUniversity. Brilliant in studies, national Badminton player, established theatre actress and larger than life. 50 years have passed. You are still the same or more. You have fought life’s toughest battles head on. And always emerged out as a winner. May you continue to win people’s love, trust and faith with your persona and goodness. Love and prayers always. @kirronkhermp”.

Talking about his first meeting with Kirron, Anupam once told ANI that they met in Chandigarh while doing theatre and became best friends. “She was a star already then. She was doing theatres, she was working in movies. She is an MA first class first. I met her in Chandigarh. I was a simple village boy. Apparently, there was no connection between us. She was married then and had Sikandar (Kher). We used to be best of friends and we did theatres together. Later when she had problems in marriage, I was ditched by the person I was going with, and then things started to change. But we always remain best friends first,” he elaborated.

Before marrying Anupam, Kirron was married to Gautam Berry, and has two kids from her first marriage - Sikandar Kher and Tara Alisha Berry.

Kirron once told Firstpost that they remained friends for a long time but started developing feelings later. She also revealed that Anupam confessed about his feelings when they were doing a play in Kolkata. “I remember, we were going to Calcutta for Nadira Babbar’s play, he came looking different, his head was shaved, for some film he was doing, I think. When he was leaving the room, he looked back at me, and something passed between us. Later he came and knocked on my door, and said ‘I want to talk to you.’ He then said ‘I think I have fallen in love with you.’ And suddenly there was this immense, intense change, the chemistry exploded. I got a divorce and married him. He had nothing then,” she elaborated.

She is known for playing the quintessential mother role in films such as Devdas, Rang De Basanti, Hum Tum, Dostana, Main Hoon Na, Kurbaan, Om Shanti Om, and others.

Also read: Bariwali turns 21: Rituparno Ghosh’s languid drama places Kirron Kher’s acting prowess at the epicentre 

Though a talented actress, Kirron has been taking her time-off from the silver screen for a few years now. She was last seen in Shashank Ghosh’s 2014 film, Khoobsurat, alongside Sonam Kapoor. In 2021, Kirron was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Anupam, on the other hand is currently on his upcoming film, Vijay 69, where he plays the role of a man who decides to compete in a triathlon contest at the age of 69.