Kirron Anupam Kher (also Kiran Indian Express, 12 May 2002. or, Kiron, born 14 June 1952) is an Indian politician, former actress, television personality, singer, and entertainment producer known for her work in Hindi films and television. She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and was a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament, from Chandigarh, from 2014 to 2024. Through her film career, she is the recipient of two National Film Awards and a Lux Style Award, and has received four Filmfare Award nominations.
Early life Kiran Singh was born on 14 June 1952 in Bangalore, Mysore State, India into a Punjabi Sikh family and grew up in Chandigarh. During the period of her first marriage to Gautam Berry, she was known as 'Kiran Berry'. When she married Anupam Kher, she resumed her maiden name and also added her latest husband's surname, being known as 'Kiran Thakar Singh Kher'. In later life, she developed a firm belief in numerology, and in 2003 (aged 51), she changed her name from "Kiran" to "Kirron" based on numerological calculations, The Times of India, 20 August 2003. dropped her maiden names, and came to be known as 'Kirron Kher.' She is sometimes known as 'Grandma India.'
Kirron has one brother and two sisters. Her brother, the artist Amardeep Singh Sandhu, died in 2003.All love and Kher The Hindu, 19 August 2004. One of her sisters is the Arjuna Award–winning badminton player, Kanwal Thakar Kaur. Her other sister, Sharanjit Kaur Sandhu, is the wife of a retired senior officer of the Indian Navy.
Kirron went to school in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and completed her school education in Chandigarh, and then graduated from the Department of Indian Theatre of Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Career Kirron made her film debut in 1983 in the Punjabi feature film Aasra Pyar Da. After this, she took a hiatus from films until 1996. The Peninsula, 28 April 2008. Between 1983 and 1996, she appeared in one film, Pestonjee (1987), in which she acted in a small role alongside her second husband Anupam Kher.
Her return to acting came in the mid–1990s, through theatre, with the play Saalgirah written by playwright Javed Siddiqui and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.. desimatch.com She then hosted three television shows, starting with the short–lived Purushkshetra on Zee TV which got attention for bringing out the discussion of alternative sexuality for the first time, while also highlighting women's issues.The Making of Neoliberal India: Nationalism, Gender, and the Paradoxes of Globalization, by Rupal Oza, Published by CRC Press, 2006. . Page 63. Kirron Kher Today and Jagte Raho with Kirron Kher, before doing Hindi films.Kirron Kher’s stock zooms higher! Times of India, 22 September 2008.
Her comeback film was Sardari Begum (1996), directed by Shyam Benegal. Her performance received high critical acclaim and earned her the National Film Award – Special Jury Award (feature film).
She then appeared in film director Rituparno Ghosh's Bengali film Bariwali (1999), to critical acclaim. When she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for the film, a controversy arose as a Bangla film actress, Rita Koiral, claimed that she had dubbed for the character of Kirron, making her an equal claimant to the award. Kirron refuted the charges claiming she spent hours rehearsing for her dialogue delivery, and the award was eventually not shared.
In 2002, Kher appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romantic drama Devdas (2002), alongside Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit in which her performance received widespread critical acclaim, receiving her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters) (2003),56th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland The Tribune, 18 August 2003. a film that portrays the plight of a woman abducted during partition of India, her character not only refused to kill herself as suggested by her family, but marries her abductor and, after his death, makes an earning teaching Quran to local children. It shows how her life changes dramatically when her son takes up Islamic extremism in 1979 during the rule of Zia–ul–Haq and his process of Islamization of Pakistan.Kiron Kher's film releases in New York Rediff.com, 8 October 2004. She won the Best Actress Award at the Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland, the Karachi International Film Festival, Karachi, and International Festivals at Ciepie in Argentina,Visiting Pakistan was like a pilgrimage: Kiron Kher Times of India, 20 July 2004. and Cape Town in South Africa'Art knows no boundary' Daily Star, 3 December 2003.Mrs Kher comes calling – page 2 Times of India, 16 October 2004. while the film won the Best Film – Golden Leopard, Festival Grand Prize at Locarno.Silent waves, still waters The Hindu, 2 December 2004.
The 2004 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) paid tribute to Kher during its annual festival.IFFLA 2004 Film Schedule, 8:00pm: Tribute to Kirron Kher Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA).a tribute to award-winning actress Kiron Kher The Tribune , 22 March 2004.
In October 2004, Kher made a guest appearance, along with her husband, in the American TV series ER playing Parminder Nagra's mother, Mrs. Rasgotra, in the episode "Damaged".
In 2005, she played the role of Sunanda in the tele-serial Prratima on Sahara One channel, before which she had appeared in TV series like Dil Na Jaane Kyon (Zee TV), Isi Bahane, and Chausath Panne.Many shades, same delight The Hindu, 31 January 2005.
Despite playing mostly supporting roles, her successful films include Main Hoon Na (2004), Hum Tum (2004), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), where her performance drew rave reviews.Kiron Kher at Rotten Tomatoes. Her work in Rang De Basanti (2006) was also acclaimed with her performance earning her a second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her role in Fanaa (2006) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) also received appreciation, receiving her third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter.
Adding to her list of comical roles in 2008 she appeared in Singh Is Kinng, Saas Bahu Aur Sensex and Dostana, receiving her fourth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for the lattermost. In 2009, she appeared as judge on India's Got Talent, the Indian franchise of the Got Talent series.
Socio-political activism Kirron Kher has been involved with non-profit movements such as Laadli (a campaign against female infanticide) and Roko Cancer (a campaign for awareness of cancer). She joined the Bhartiya Janata Party in 2009. She campaigned for the party in across the country during the elections, including in Chandigarh for the 2011 municipal corporation elections. She has been a vocal admirer of BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi since long before his candidature was announced. Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) declared her as the Lok Sabha candidate from Chandigarh for General Elections, 2014. Subsequently, in May 2014, she won the seat with 1,91,362 votes, defeating sitting MP, Congress leader Pawan Bansal who received 1,21,720 votes, while AAP's Gul Panag came in third position with 1,08,679 votes.
As a Member of parliament from Chandigarh and having connection with the film industry, Kirron promised a film city for Chandigarh. After winning the seat, she said that she had difficulty in acquiring land in Chandigarh. However, her proposal was accepted by the Chandigarh Administration and the film city is proposed to be set up in Sarangpur, Chandigarh.
Kirron Kher, BJP candidate, won in 2019 Indian general election Chandigarh constituency by a margin of 46,970 votes.
Controversy After a woman was gang raped by an auto rickshaw driver and his accomplices in Chandigarh in 2017, she suggested that women should avoid traveling with strangers, earning widespread criticism from the opposition and social media.
Personal life Kirron married Gautam Berry, a Mumbai–based businessman, in first week of March 1979, and had a son, Sikandar Kher.Kiran Kher on her son, Sikander Rediff.com, 2 June 2008.
In Mumbai, Kirron tried throughout the 1980s to get a foothold in the film industry, but without success. While visiting producer after producer seeking a role in films, Kirron renewed her acquaintance with Anupam Kher, who was also a similarly struggling actor, and whom she had known slightly at university in Chandigarh. Moving in the same theatre circles, they worked together in a play called Chandpuri Ki Champabai. In 1985, Kirron divorced her first husband amd married Kher on 26 August 1985.https://rediff.com/movies/report/when-anupam-kher-got-married-to-kirron/20190826.htm
In 2020, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
Filmography Note: all films are in Hindi, unless otherwise noted. Year Film Role Notes 1983 Aasra Pyaar Da Sheela Punjabi film 1988 Pestonjee Soona Mistry credited as Kirron Thakursingh–Kher 1996 Sardari Begum Sardari Begum National Film Award – Special Jury Award (feature film) 1997 Darmiyaan: In Between Zeenat Begum 1999 Bariwali Banalata Bengali film; National Film Award for Best Actress 2001 Ehsaas: The Feeling Antra's mother 2002 Devdas Sumitra Chakraborty Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress Karz: The Burden of Truth Savitri Devi 2004 Khamosh Pani Veero/Ayesha Khan Indo-Pakistani Punjabi film;Lux Style Award for Best Film Actress Main Hoon Na Madhu Sharma Hum Tum Parminder 'Bobby' Prakash Veer–Zaara Mariam Hayaat Khan 2005 Mangal Pandey: The Rising Lol Bibi It Could Be You Mrs. Dhillon English film 2006 Rang De Basanti Mitro (DJ's Mother) Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress Fanaa Nafisa Ali Begum (Zooni's mother) Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Kamaljit 'Kamal' Saran Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress I See You Mrs. Dutt 2007 Just Married Shobha Chaturvedi Apne Raavi B. Choudhary Om Shanti Om Bela Makhija 2008 Singh Is Kinng Rose Lady Saas Bahu Aur Sensex Binita Sen Dostana Mrs. Seema Acharya Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009 Kambakkht Ishq Aunt Dolly Kurbaan Nasreen Aapa 2010 Milenge Milenge Tarot Card Reader Action Replayy Bholi Devi 2011 Mummy Punjabi Baby R. Arora 2012 Ajab Gazabb Love Rashmi Grewal 2014 Gunday Courtesan Deleted scene Total Siyapaa Asha's mother Khoobsurat Manju Punjab 1984 Satwant Kaur Punjabi film
Television Year Program Language Role Notes 1988 Isi Bahane Hindi 1999 Gubbare Hindi 1999–2000 Kanyadaan Hindi 2004 Prratima Hindi Sunanda Sukumar Roy ER English Mrs. Rasgotra Episode: "Damaged" 2009–2023 India's Got Talent Hindi Judge
Awards and nominations
1997: National Film Award – Special Jury Award (feature film): Sardari Begum 2000: National Film Award for Best Actress: Bariwali 2003: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas (Nominated) 2003: IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas 2003: Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas (Nominated) 2003: Bollywood Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas 2003: Sansui Viewers' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress: Devdas (Nominated) 2003: Locarno International Film Festival: Best Actress: Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters) 2003: Karachi International Film Festival: Best Female Actor in a Leading Role: Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters)Award Citations – 2003 Kara Awards Karachi International Film Festival Official website. 2003: Lux Style Award for Best Film Actress: Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters) 2005: Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress: Hum Tum (Nominated) 2005: Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female: Hum Tum (Nominated) 2005: Producers Guild Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Hum Tum (Nominated) 2005: Stardust Award for Best Supporting Actress: Veer-Zaara 2007: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Nominated)