New Delhi: Released 25 years ago, Nayak went on to become a cult film despite flopping at the box office. The film marked director S. Shankar’s Bollywood debut, with Anil Kapoor playing Shivaji Rao, a common man who takes on the challenge of solving the state’s problems in just one day.
Kapoor has now shared that what he loved most about the character was not simply his journey from a common man to a one-day Chief Minister, but what he chose to do after reaching a position of power. Amrish Puri played the role of the original chief minister and the antagonist of the film.
What drew Anil to Shivaji Rao
“What drew me to Shivaji Rao was never just the journey from a common man to the chief minister. It was what he chose to do once he got there, to use the power he had to make a difference to the people,” he said in an X post on Monday.
In the film, Shivaji is a reporter who asks tough questions to the chief minister, putting him on the spot. The chief minister, played by Puri, then challenges Shivaji to run the state for 24 hours.
He accepts the challenge and, through his honesty and determination, brings about a series of changes in the state. His performance wins the people’s support, and they begin calling for him to become a full-time chief minister.
“To portray a role with that kind of purpose was a privilege and perhaps that is why Nayak continues to find its way back to people even after 25 years,” he said.
Alongside Kapoor, the film starred Rani Mukerji as Manjari, a naive and carefree villager whom Shivaji meets when he is working as a cameraman. Paresh Rawal also stars in the film in a supporting role. The film was a remake of S. Shankar’s 1999 Tamil film Mudhalvan, which starred Arjun, Manisha Koirala and Raghuvaran. The Tamil film became the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of the year.
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From box-office flop to cult film
Unlike the Tamil hit, the Hindi remake had a different trajectory. Made on a budget of ₹21 crore, Nayak collected nearly ₹20 crore at the box office. Despite its initial theatrical failure, the film later gained cult status through television telecasts and found a new audience over the years.
“The love for your country, and the desire to do better for its people will never be irrelevant, and I will always be proud to have been a part of such a story,” Kapoor said.
Edited by Maryam Hassan