Anupam Kher pays tribute to Jeffrey Archer, recalls meeting the late author at Dubai Literature Festival: “It is a memory I will always cherish”
Actor and author Anupam Kher paid tribute to celebrated British author Jeffrey Archer, remembering a meeting that became a particularly meaningful moment in his own journey as a first-time author. Sharing an old photograph from their interaction, Kher recalled meeting Archer at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai and presenting him with his first book, The Best Thing About You Is You.
Kher shared the photograph on social media along with a heartfelt note following Archer’s passing. Reflecting on the author’s contribution to literature, he remembered himself as a longtime admirer of Archer’s work, particularly books such as Kane and Abel and Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. “Deeply saddened by the passing of the great storyteller, #JeffreyArcher. I have been, and will always remain, a great admirer of his writing,” Kher wrote.
Anupam Kher recalls meeting Jeffrey Archer
Kher said he had the opportunity to meet Archer at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai, where he presented the author with his debut book. “I had the opportunity to meet him at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai and present him with my first book, The Best Thing About You Is You. It was a brief yet very important meeting for me! One of the highlights of my life,” he recalled.
For Kher, the photograph from that occasion has taken on a deeper meaning with Archer’s passing. “Looking at this photograph today, what touches me most is that he is holding my book in his hand. A writer whose books I had held with such admiration was now holding mine. There was something so beautiful about that moment,” Kher wrote.
He also remembered how he viewed himself during the meeting, despite being an established actor and a newly published author. “I was an actor and a first-time author, but beside him, I was simply an excited admirer,” he added.
View this post on Instagram
The advice that stayed with Anupam Kher
Kher also recalled the conversation he shared with Archer during their meeting. He remembered asking the author what he considered most important for a writer: “We had a lovely chat. I remember asking him what he considered the most important thing for a writer. What stayed with me from his answer was ‘the importance of memory’ and ‘imagination.’ Those words have remained with me ever since.”
Looking back at the encounter, Kher connected Archer’s words with his own memories of the meeting. “Today, my memory takes me back to that meeting, while his imagination lives on through his stories,” he wrote.
‘An old photograph becomes more precious’
Kher reflected on how the loss of someone admired can change the meaning of memories and photographs associated with them. He acknowledged, “We all know that everyone has to go one day. Yet, when someone we admire is suddenly no longer here, we feel a vacuum that this knowledge cannot fill,” he wrote.
For Kher, the photograph with Archer has now become a lasting reminder of their brief interaction. “An old photograph becomes more precious. A brief conversation returns with unexpected clarity. And we wish we could have that moment once more,” he added.
Concluding his tribute, Kher thanked Archer for his work, his warmth and the memory they shared. “Thank you, Mr. Archer, for your stories, your warmth, and for holding my first book with such kindness. It is a memory I will always cherish,” he wrote, while offering his condolences to Archer’s family and readers.
“Rest in peace. You will always have an admirer in me,” Kher concluded.
The post Anupam Kher pays tribute to Jeffrey Archer, recalls meeting the late author at Dubai Literature Festival: “It is a memory I will always cherish” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.