New Delhi: Actor Anupam Kher, who will be hosting 'The Anupam Kher Show', says small screen has become big and there is not much difference left between films and TV now.
"I don't think there is any difference left between the two mediums now. Some 10 years back, people used to call it small screen but they used to come and promote their films on TV. I am sure they have realised its potential. Elections were fought on television, almost. It is a huge medium now," Kher told PTI.
The actor hosted a show called 'Say Na Something to Anupam Uncle', starred in TV film 'Janam' besides producing many shows for the small screen through his production house. His most recent outing was in Anil Kapoor's '24'. Kher has donned the hat of a host in his latest turn on TV. Stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Mahesh and Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan and Kapil Sharma will share stories about their struggle and success with the actor on the show.
"The idea of this show came from my autobiographical play 'Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai'. It is about my setbacks and failures. I laugh at them now. My play is about my failures and setbacks. Sometimes people have come and told me they are inspired by the play. So, I thought a lot of people can give courage to others," Kher said.
The 12-episode series, slated to air on Colors from July 6, will have Shah Rukh as the first guest. "We start with the top guy. He is very charming and entertaining and speaks very well. And there was a lot to catch up with him," Kher said about his first celebrity guest.
The actor revealed that he tried his level best to get megastar Amitabh Bachchan on the show but his dates were clashing. "He said he will be on the next season," the actor said, adding Salman Khan is also likely to be there.
Though comparison with other talk shows like Karan Johar's 'Koffee With Karan' is inevitable, Kher says his show is a pure chat show. "My show will be a pure chat, one-to-one conversation. The
two shows are very different. I have not thought that it will be like his (Karan) show. I am sure he has his way of talking and I have my way of speaking to the guests. Audiences will tell the difference between our shows," he said.
When asked why he brought Parineeti Chopra and Aditya Roy Kapoor, who will be seen with him in 'Dawat-e-Ishq', Kher said, "During the shoot, we became great friends and that is why I wanted to have them on the show."
The actor also found their story interesting. "Aditya started with TV and today he is a star while Parineeti worked as an executive in Yash Raj studios managing Rani Mukherji's work and for her to make it big is amazing," he said.
Kher's actor-turned-politician wife Kirron is a regular face on TV as reality show judge. She recently turned narrator for a fiction show on Zindagi. The actor said he is yet to watch Kirron's show.
"If comparisons are there between us, it is good. It should be there, that will make me do better. But the two shows are different as she is the narrator for a fiction show while I will be talking to people, whom I admire and love."
Kher, who has projects like 'Dawat-e-Ishq', 'Singham Returns' and 'Shaukeen' lined up, never feels he needs to take time out for himself. "I am very lucky that I enjoy what I do. I know I get paid for what I love," he said.
The actor is also not ruling out joining politics. Kher says anything can happen. "I have never said no. I might enter politics but not for next 10 years. But then you never know, anything can happen,"
Kirron defeated Congress' Pawan Kumar Bansal and Aam Admi Party's Gul Panag in the recently concluded Lok Sabha.
