‘Charas lekar ghoom rahe ho?': Anupam Kher recalls Kirron Kher's quip that nearly got him killed at LA airport

Indian Express

19-07-2025

Veteran actor Anupam Kher recently shared a humorous and slightly nerve-wracking anecdote about the time he was traveling with wife Kirron Kher in the US. Anupam's story dates back to when the couple was touring across the US with their play, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Anupam recalled how an innocent mistake nearly turned into a full-blown security scare at Los Angeles International Airport. He had unknowingly packed dhoop (incense) in his shaving kit, which, when discovered by airport security, was mistaken for a suspicious substance, possibly drugs.
'Maine kisi din… dhoop hota hai na. Dhoop, agarbatti woh shaving ke samaan mein rakh diya hoga,' (One day, you know dhoop, I must've put them in my shaving kit by mistake), he said. 'So we were coming LA to San Francisco and Kiran had crossed the security check and she was waiting for me. And these security people opened my bag and they found something in my shaving kit. And I had completely forgotten what was there. So he took it out and started smelling it. Then he asked his colleague, 'Is this what I think it is?' So he also smelled and said yes,' Anupam told Filmfare.
At this point, he recalls the situation escalated quickly. 'And then he suddenly said to me, 'Step aside, step aside and hands up please.' He asks me, 'What is this?' And I say, 'Don't know.' And suddenly wahan se awaaz aati hai 'Kya hai ye?' (Suddenly from there came a voice: 'What is this?')' The officers, hearing Kirron's sharp tone, began looking suspiciously at both of them. 'So suddenly those personnel started looking at her thinking as if we are Bonnie and Clyde. So they pointed guns towards me and I thought, 'This is it. I'm going to die now.''
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As the officers passed the incense stick around trying to identify the substance, Anupam recalls how Kirron Kher added more fuel to the fire with her commentary. 'And she went, 'Charas lekar ghoom rahe ho?' (You're roaming around with hashish?) And I told her, 'Agar main bach gaya inn logon se toh main bahar nikal ke divorce de dunga.' (If I survive these people, I'll come out and divorce you.)'
Trying to calm the situation, Anupam requested to see the item in question. 'Then those people are like, 'What are you saying? Step aside.' So I ask them, 'Can I see it?' And then they gave it to me. And I started explaining to them, 'Oh this is what you burn and you put in house.' I was so idiot I wanted to say incense and I said incest… incest…'
Luckily for him, a Bangladeshi staff member recognised the item and intervened just in time. 'He explained that we use this in pooja and for god. Par meri toh zubaan hi chali gayi thi kyunki woh wahan se bole ja rahi thi 'Kya lekar ghoom rahe ho wahan par? Pagal ho gaye kya tum?' (But I was speechless because from over there she kept going, 'What are you carrying around? Have you gone mad?')'
Anupam and Kirron have been married for 40 years now.