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Anupam Kher, the actor who played Dr. Vijay Kapoor, the head of neurology on New Amsterdam, left the series suddenly, and fans have wondered about the reason behind Dr. Kapoor’s exit the medical drama. The actor and character’s departure was as heartbreaking as it was shocking and culminated in the NBC medical drama’s season 3 episode “Essential Workers.” Kher had been a series regular since the show debuted in 2018, and he quickly became a favorite among the staff at New Amsterdam Medical Center.
Fans of the series were quick to get attached to New Amsterdam’s personable characters with Vijay Kapoor being no exception. Kapoor’s endearing yet often comical nature grounded the significantly heavy matters New Amsterdam demonstrated, making Anupam’s presence valued and appreciated. However, it was, in fact, an unfortunate heavy matter that caused Anupam Kher to leave New Amsterdam unexpectedly and for Vijay Kapoor to be written out of the series completely.
Vijay Kapoor Actor Anupam Kher Left New Amsterdam Because Of Personal Tragedy
Anupam Kher’s Wife Contracted Cancer
According to Entertainment Weekly, Anupam Kher departed from the series to be with his wife after she was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma. Despite the terrible news, Kher was reported to have given a largely optimistic statement to Hindustan News, expressing his appreciation for the medical system and his hope for his wife, Kirron Kher, during her recovery process. His 2021 statement to one of India’s leading newspapers received an outcry of support from concerned fans and celebrities alike.

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Anupam Kher’s optimism paid off greatly though, as it seems Kirron Kher has recovered from her diagnosis. In a more recent statement, The Indian Express documented Anupam Kher remarking,
“For me, it (Kirron’s recovery) is the biggest relief. Touchwood, her cancer is in remission. She has started work again in Chandigarh. She was a judge on India’s Got Talent. The human spirit is much stronger than any other thing. Giving up is not an option.“
While Anupam Kher was greatly missed after his season 3 exit from New Amsterdam, it is better to know that he was able to be by his wife during uncertain times and consequently see Kirron healthier in recovery.
What Happened To Vijay Kapoor In New Amsterdam?
The Doctor Died From COVID-19 Complications
To accommodate Anupam Kher’s sudden departure from the series, New Amsterdam had to write in Vijay Kapoor’s resignation from the New Amsterdam Medical Center. In true New Amsterdam fashion, Vijay Kapoor’s exit did not come lightly, as the character quickly contracted a severe case of COVID-19 that almost cost him his life. Vijay Kapoor recovered from the illness briefly, but he submitted his resignation as a result of his health crisis.
Kapoor succumbed to COVID-19 complications.
It seems that Anupam Kher’s personal life scare meant there was no chance of a Vijay Kapoor revival either; at the end of the Season 3 episode “Essential Workers,” Kapoor succumbed to COVID-19 complications. New Amsterdam was canceled a few seasons after the loss of Vijay Kapoor, but his death resonated painfully throughout the remainder of the series.
What Anupam Kher Said About Leaving New Amsterdam
Anupam Kher Praised The Show For His Exit
While so many sudden actor and character exits from TV shows are often due to creative differences and end up with bitter people on both sides, that wasn’t the case with Anupam Kher. The actor couldn’t have had more positive things to say about New Amsterdam. Kher posted this statement to social media just two weeks after Dr. Kapoor was written out of the show (via TV Insider):
“This past year has been difficult for so many people around the world, not least for Dr. Kapoor. It was an incredibly special time for me to be part of this show and one I will never forget. The New Amsterdam family will always hold a special place in my heart. I am grateful to the audience for their love, support, and good wishes, particularly for my wife, Kirron, at this time. I hope you all will continue to join me on my journey and future projects.”
If New Amsterdam is revived in the future, there are still ways Kher could return, whether as a prequel or through flashbacks. Kher played a fan-favorite character on the show whose exit wasn’t due to falling outs or scheduling conflicts. No bridges were burned, and in that respect, Kher should be the first on the call sheet for a revival series. Kher’s departure from the show could have contributed to New Amsterdam’s declining ratings in the following seasons, so his return in a legacy season of New Amsterdam could be successful.
Did New Amsterdam Struggle Without Vijay Kapoor?
The Shows Ratings Dropped & Fans Feel Hie Was Missed
After Anupam Kher left New Amsterdam, the show’s ratings slowly declined, dropping almost two million viewers per episode between season 3 and the final fifth season. While one cast member leaving a medical drama won’t doom a show, his departure was one of several factors that contributed to the medical drama being canceled in 2023. However, the method of his departure might have turned off some viewers; a beloved character dying of COVID-19 might have hit a little too close to home at the time.
In a Reddit thread, Redditor dbwhite6450 believes that something about the show died with Dr. Kapoor. They wrote, “When Dr. Kapor left, so did the grounding force of this show. Literally every main character now is either overly and uninterestingly complicated or their character serves no purpose other than a lazy way to introduce conflict.” This was a widely held belief, with many New Amsterdam fans agreeing that he was “the show’s wise elder and balanced moments of comedy with moments of intense profoundness.“
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