Kirron Kher turns 71; husband and actor Anupam Kher pens a note remembering their 50-year long bond

Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher, Pic/Kirron Kher`s official Instagram

Anupam Kher shared an old-school heartfelt note for his wife and actress Kirron Kher on her 71^st birthday today.

Kirron Kher has had an extensive career in the Indian entertainment industry as a prolific theatre star and film actress. Kirron was also an accomplished National-level badminton player.

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Taking to Instagram, Anupam Kher shared a beautiful message capturing their many memories they had shared in nearly a half a century of knowing each other.

"Happy Birthday #Kirron! May God give you long, happy, peaceful and healthy life! I have known you for close to fifty years now. I saw you first time in 1974 at Dept. of #IndianTheatre in Chandigarh. You were the star student of #PanjabUniversity. Brilliant in studies, national Badminton player, established theatre actress and larger than life. 50 years have passed. You are still the same or more," the note read.

In 2021, the actress was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. After long months of treatment and an equally long recovery process, Kher returned to the stage in Chandigarh. Acknowledging her warrior's spirit and will to continue living on, Anupam wrote -

"You have fought life's toughest battles head on. And always emerged out as a winner. May you continue to win people's love, trust and faith with your persona and goodness. Love and prayers always."

Anupam also shared several unseen photographs of Kirron over the years - from a young university student to a gracefully aging older and wiser woman. The initial pictures contain one of Kirron's old photographs, and capture her playing badminton. Other photographs feature the actress with Anupam and her son, Sikander Kher. In the last picture, she is seen posing with Anupam's close friend, late Satish Kaushik.

She made her film debut in 1983 in the Punjabi feature film Aasra Pyar Da. She appeared in several films in supporting roles such as in Devdas (2002) and Khamosh Pani (2003). Despite playing mostly supporting character's, has several successes in her oeuvre, include Main Hoon Na (2004), Hum Tum (2004), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), in which her performance drew critical acclaim. Her work in Rang De Basanti (2006) shot her further to stardom, earning her a second nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Her performances in 'Fanaa' (2006) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) also received appreciation.

To the younger generation, Kirron is perhaps best recognized as the beloved motherly judge on ‘India's Got Talent'. Apart from theatre and film, Kher has also engaged in politics and relief work - especially with non-profit movements ‘Laadli', a campaign against female infanticide and 'Roko Cancer', a campaign for cancer awareness and prevention.