Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta, who were classmates at the National School of Drama (NSD) in the late 1970s, have shared a long and layered professional journey. Years after their student days, they reunited for Rakesh Bedi’s acclaimed stage play Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha, and later appeared together in two 2022 films—Sooraj Barjatya’s Uunchai and Ajayan Venugopalan’s Shiv Shastri Balboa.Now, the duo returns to the screen in Anurag Basu’s upcoming film Metro… In Dino, a spiritual successor to his 2007 anthology Life in a… Metro. In the film, they portray former college mates whose youthful affection never blossomed—until they reconnect decades later at a reunion, reigniting a sense of what might have been.
A Candid Conversation: NSD, Nostalgia, and New Beginnings
In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, the two actors reminisced about their NSD days, their views on love and heartbreak, and their current relationship with the city of Mumbai.When asked if they remembered the moment they first met, Anupam shared:“At the National School of Drama, the boys and girls stayed in the same hostel. She was a year junior to me. I first saw her when she came to the sink to wash her glass. I also used to watch her walk to a shop near Mandi House. I wasn’t the kind of guy who’d get noticed. She was hard to miss. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t remember me.”On working with Anurag Basu’s famously impromptu style, Neena said:“Yes, we’re used to last-minute dialogues. We don’t need to say ‘Excuse me’ and go to a corner to memorize lines. We can do that on the spot, especially if it’s in Hindi. If it’s in English, I might take a little longer. But this film was in Hindi, so we were happy.”Anupam echoed her thoughts on the director’s approach:“Anurag’s characters come from everyday life. We already understood our characters. Without realizing it, we worked the way we do in theatre. Even Shiv Shastri Balboa had that quality—it could easily be turned into a play. That’s the advantage of being experienced and trained actors—we bring our own layers to the work, something not always possible in commercial cinema.”
On Love, Loss, and Life
Both actors have evolved their own philosophies on love over the years.Neena believes she has only known one true love—her daughter.“I don’t know what romantic love is. I only understood what love truly meant when Masaba (Gupta) was born. That’s the only kind of love I’ve felt deeply. Maybe I’m too practical to fall in love or be loved. I worry a lot and wonder if something’s wrong with me. When I watch love stories or Western shows, I question why I’ve never felt like dying for someone.”When asked about the time the late Satish Kaushik offered to marry her to shield her from social stigma, Neena reflected on the different kinds of love:“That was the love of a friend. I can fall in love with anyone—my neighbour, my dog, my staff, my cook, my friends. Sometimes, love in friendship is something else entirely.”Anupam, meanwhile, takes a broader view of love:“We often limit the idea of love to just romantic relationships. But love exists between parents and children, siblings, friends, and even pets. A love story doesn’t have to be just about a man and a woman.”
About the Film: Metro… In Dino
Metro… In Dino is an upcoming romantic anthology film that explores contemporary relationships through four interconnected stories. Directed by Anurag Basu, the film features a stellar ensemble cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ali Fazal, and Fatima Sana Shaikh.Set in present-day urban India, the film captures the emotional complexities of love, longing, and commitment. Metro… In Dino is slated for release on July 4.
