ഹിന്ദി സിനിമയിൽ അവസരങ്ങൾക്കായി അലഞ്ഞ കാലത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് മനസ്സ് തുറന്ന് അനിൽ കപൂർ. 'ഇന്ത്യ കെ ടോപ്പ് 1' എന്ന ഷോയിലാണ് താരം തന്റെ പഴയകാല അനുഭവങ്ങൾ പങ്കുവെച്ചത്. ഹിന്ദിയിൽ അവസരങ്ങൾ ലഭിക്കാതെ വിഷമിച്ചപ്പോൾ ചെയ്ത തെലുങ്ക് ചിത്രം 'വംശ വൃക്ഷം' തനിക്ക് ഷിർദിയിൽ വെച്ച് ആദ്യമായി ഒരു താരമെന്ന നിലയിലുള്ള അംഗീകാരം നേടിക്കൊടുത്തുവെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം ഓർക്കുന്നു.
Anil Kapoor is bringing his trademark energy and humour to Star Plus’ India Ke Top 1%, but the actor is also offering viewers a glimpse into the personal experiences that shaped his journey in the film industry. In the upcoming weekend episode, Kapoor revisits a challenging phase of his early career, when opportunities in Hindi cinema were hard to come by, and recalls an unexpected moment of recognition during a visit to Shirdi.
India Ke Top 1%: Anil Kapoor recalls struggling to get Hindi film offers; reveals how Telugu film Vamsa Vruksham brought him his first fan moment in Shirdi
The actor shared how his Telugu film Vamsa Vruksham introduced him to audiences in Andhra Pradesh at a time when he was struggling to establish himself in the Hindi film industry. Despite having completed the film, Kapoor revealed that work remained elusive, prompting him to seek Sai Baba’s blessings at Shirdi.
Recalling the phase and the prayer he made during his visit, Anil Kapoor shared, “Shirdi Sai Baba has blessed me immensely. Back then, I was struggling to find work. I wasn’t getting any Hindi films, and nobody was taking me seriously. Then I received an offer for a Telugu film, Vamsa Vruksham, which I went on to do. Even after that, I was sitting at home without work, so I decided to visit Shirdi for Sai Baba ji’s darshan. I prayed, ‘Keep everyone happy, keep me and my family happy, and if possible, let me get a little work so that my career can move forward.’”
What followed turned into a memorable milestone for the actor. As he was leaving Shirdi, buses carrying people from Andhra Pradesh arrived, and some of the passengers recognised him from Vamsa Vruksham. The experience came as a surprise to Kapoor, who had not yet experienced such a moment of public recognition in his career.
Describing the encounter, he continued, “You won’t believe it, but as I was leaving Shirdi, buses arrived from Andhra Pradesh, where my Telugu film had released. Children and girls got off those buses and started asking for my autograph. I said, ‘Yeh kya ho gaya?’ My film had released there, and here I was in Shirdi, with people recognizing me and asking for my autograph. It was the first time in my life that this had happened. It is Sai Baba ji’s blessing.”
The anecdote offers a glimpse into the uncertainty Anil Kapoor faced during his initial years in the industry, as well as the unexpected ways in which his work began reaching audiences. While Hindi film offers were not coming his way at the time, the response to his Telugu film gave him an early taste of recognition and encouragement.
Through India Ke Top 1%, Kapoor is combining the excitement of the quiz format with personal stories from his life and career. The show, positioned as Star Plus’ biggest family game show in a decade, aims to bring families together over the weekend through trivia, entertainment and candid conversations.
India Ke Top 1% airs every Saturday and Sunday at 8 PM on Star Plus and JioHotstar.