In 2014 Sanjay Baru a former advisor to Dr. Manmohan Singh wrote a book titled The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh. In 2019 a film adaptation of the same name was released featuring Anupam Kher as the former Prime Minister. However Kher initially resisted taking on the role. Read on to find more details. Why Did Anupam Kher Refuse the Role? In his autobiography Lessons Life Taught Me Unknowingly Anupam Kher shared that when the offer for The Accidental Prime Minister came his way he immediately turned it down. He was a vocal critic of Dr. Manmohan Singh and his policies while he also expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some even labeled him a spokesperson for the BJP a label that seemed natural given his views at the time. Kher recalls that when producers Sunil Bohra and Ashok Pandit came to him with the script he was unsure. He asked “Why do you want me to do this film? Are you trying to create a controversy?” Later when director Vijay Ratnakar Gutte met him Kher had already decided against taking the role. However things changed after an unexpected moment. One evening while watching the news at home Kher saw Dr. Manmohan Singh speaking in the Rajya Sabha addressing the demonetization issue. It was at that moment that Kher for the first time saw Singh as an actor would. Kher thought to himself How difficult would it be to play this role? He doesn’t display confidence his voice is not loud and his expressions seem a bit stiff. Despite this Khers perspective began to shift and he started to contemplate the challenge of portraying such a complex character. Preparation for the Role Kher decided to take up the challenge and contacted Sunil Bohra the next morning saying he wanted to give it a try. He asked for the script and upon reading the opening scene where Dr. Singh is taking the oath as Prime Minister Kher attempted to mimic his walking style. However he realized he was doing a poor imitation. He spent the next ten days intensely practicing Dr. Singh’s walk but still didn’t feel ready. Although the producers were planning to start shooting in August Kher asked for more time explaining that he needed at least three months to prepare. In the end he took six months to perfect the role. The most difficult aspect of the preparation was getting Dr. Singh’s voice and tone right. Kher revealed that even after all the hard work very few people could grasp the effort and energy he invested into the role. What Did Kiran Kher Say? When Kher finally accepted the role he called his wife Kiran Kher who was in Chandigarh at the time. He told her about the decision to play Dr. Manmohan Singh. Kiran with her usual wit advised him saying “Great! I’m happy. Just don’t try to imitate that man’s personality…be yourself whatever you do.”