Anil Kapoor reveals "Nayak: The Hero" was first offered to Shah Rukh Khan & Aamir Khan

Mumbai, Sep 7 Bollywood star Anil Kapoor’s superhit movie "Nayak: The Hero" turned 24 on September 7, 2025. The actor who essayed the lead role in the movie shared a few stills and BTS pictures from the movie.

Remembering his iconic role as “one-day Chief Minister” Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, Anil Kapoor took to his social media account to share a fun anecdote about the movie. He revealed how the role of Shivaji Rao was first offered to Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Elaborating on the same, Anil stated, “Some roles define you. Nayak was one of them. First offered to Aamir & Shah Rukh, but I knew I had to live this character... and I’m grateful Shankar sir trusted me. I’ll always cherish Shah Rukh’s words on that stage: “This role was meant for Anil.” Moments like these stay forever. #24YearsOfNayak.” The movie saw Anil Kapoor essay the role of a common man who, under various circumstances, is handed over the tough job of becoming the chief minister of Maharashtra for 24 hours.

As soon as Anil posted the anecdote along with pictures, fans flooded his comment section with a lot of appreciation for his iconic character portrayal in the movie. A user wrote, "You don’t know how many times I have watched this movie; I'm a huge fan of you, sir." Another user wrote, "My favourite movie, Nayak. Nobody can play this role better than you, @anilskapoor sir. You are the perfect Nayak." A fan of the movie wrote, "All-time favourite. Massive for the time it was made in." "Nayak: The Hero", released in 2001, starred Anil Kapoor in the lead role along with Rani Mukerji, Amrish Puri, and Paresh Rawal.

The movie was directed by S. Shankar and was a remake of his own Tamil hit Mudhalvan. The movie was one of its kind, and the songs are still blockbuster hits after 24 years.

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