Published: : May 17, 2025, 09:44 AM
Anupam Kher made his way to Cannes 2025 for the premiere of his directorial debut, Tanvi The Great, and was pleasantly surprised by a reunion with his dear friend and former co-star Robert De Niro. The Hollywood legend, who was awarded the prestigious Palme d’Or for Lifetime Achievement at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, shared a touching moment with Kher that was later captured and shared online.
In a heartfelt social media post, Kher uploaded a video in which De Niro is seen embracing him warmly and planting a tender kiss on his cheek. Kher accompanied the video with an emotional message, calling their friendship one of the greatest blessings of his life.
Reflecting on the reunion, Kher wrote, “It was an extraordinary feeling to reconnect with my friend Robert De Niro, his elegant wife Tiffany, and their lovely daughter Jia in Cannes! Their warmth and kindness moved me deeply.” The two actors previously starred together in the 2012 Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook, alongside Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.
In the video, Kher is visibly excited, expressing how special it was to see De Niro again, even though they don’t meet often. “Some friendships,” he noted, “are like hitting the pause button on a tape recorder — you pick up exactly where you left off.”
De Niro, now 81, reciprocated the affection by smiling broadly and giving Kher a kiss on the cheek. Kher also shared that he told De Niro about the world premiere of Tanvi The Great, introduced him to the film’s lead Shubhangi (Tanvi), and even showed him the first poster — which De Niro reportedly loved. “Thank you, dearest Mr. De Niro, for your affection, your warmth, the incredible hug, that delicious lunch, and your radiant brilliance over the years,” Kher wrote.
Tanvi The Great is set to debut on May 17 in the Marché du Film segment at Cannes. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Karan Tacker, and Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen.
Boman Irani, who made his Cannes debut with this project, shared via NDTV: “Being at Cannes, representing Indian cinema with a heartfelt film like Tanvi: The Great, is an indescribable honour.” He described his role as Raza Saab as the most meaningful of his career. “Working with Anupam Kher, someone I deeply admire and respect, made the experience unforgettable. I hope this film touches audiences around the world the way it touched me.”
