The 25th anniversary of Nayak: The Real Hero has prompted actor Anil Kapoor to look back at the film and, more importantly, the idea at its heart. For Kapoor, what made Shivaji Rao special was not simply that a common man became Chief Minister for a day. It was what he did once he had the power to change things. Two and a half decades later, Kapoor says that message still feels relevant.

Sharing a note on X, Kapoor marked 25 years of Nayak and recalled what drew him to the character. He said Shivaji Rao’s journey was never just about going from an ordinary man to the Chief Minister. It was about how he chose to use that power for the people.

“25 years of Nayak,” Kapoor wrote, adding that playing a character with such a strong sense of purpose was a privilege. He also said that the film’s message may be one reason it continues to find an audience even after 25 years.

In Nayak, Kapoor plays Shivaji Rao, a journalist who is not afraid to ask difficult questions. During an interview, he puts the Chief Minister, played by Amrish Puri, on the spot with his tough questions. The exchange takes an unexpected turn when the Chief Minister challenges Shivaji to run the state for 24 hours.

What follows is the heart of the film. Shivaji tries to clean up the system, takes quick decisions and tackles problems that have long been ignored. His actions win over the public, who soon want him to become their full-time Chief Minister.

And that is where the film’s fantasy gets interesting. Nayak is not really about the thrill of watching an ordinary man get power. It is about what happens when someone actually decides to use it.

A film that found its audience later

Nayak was released 25 years ago and marked filmmaker S Shankar’s Bollywood debut. The film also starred Rani Mukerji as Manjari, a simple and carefree villager whom Shivaji meets while working as a cameraman. Paresh Rawal was also part of the cast.

The film was a remake of Shankar’s 1999 Tamil political drama Mudhalvan, which starred Arjun, Manisha Koirala and Raghuvaran. The Tamil film had a successful run and became the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of that year.

The Hindi version, however, had a very different journey. Made on a reported budget of around Rs 21 crore, Nayak earned close to Rs 20 crore at the box office. It did not emerge as a theatrical success at the time, but television gave the film a second life. Over the years, it picked up a loyal audience and eventually became a cult favourite.

Looking back, Kapoor said he remains proud of being part of a story that puts people and the country at the centre of its message. “The love for your country, and the desire to do better for its people will never be irrelevant (sic),” he wrote.

And perhaps that is the reason Nayak has lasted beyond its box office run.

Source: India Today