‘Politics in industry runs deeper…’

Aditya Pancholi, Anil Kapoor and Tezaab

Action-drama Tezaab, directed by N Chandra, was among the biggest blockbusters of 1988 and became a turning point in Anil Kapoor’s career. Even though three decades have passed since the film, Anil is still referred to as Munna. Tezaab was a game changer not only for Anil but also for Madhuri. The film took the careers of its lead actors to another level. But did you know that Anil was not the first choice for the protagonist? You will be shocked to know that Aditya Pancholi should have been cast as the lead actor of the film and not Anil.

Aditya Pancholi himself made this shocking statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account. He tweeted that Anil along with his producer brother Boney Kapoor influenced N Chandra to replace him. Aditya wrote: “I was the first choice for the film Tezaab (1988) opposite @MadhuriDixit. Director N. Chandra, who is still around, can confirm this. Unfortunately, an actor through his elder brother (who remains active in the industry) influenced the director to replace me. The rest, as they say, is history.”

I was the first choice for the movie Tezaab (1988); @MadhuriDixit . Director N. Chandra, many people still around can confirm this.

Unfortunately, an actor, through his older brother (who remains active in the industry), influenced the director to replace me. The rest are like them… pic.twitter.com/0GsBvsK2KG

— Aditya Pancholi (@AdityaRPancholi) 27 October 2025

The actor from Aatiş emphasized that nepotism and domestic politics are more troublesome than nepotism. He also wrote: “Recently I saw an #Actor talking about nepotism while promoting his new movie. Let me be clear: Politics in the film industry runs deeper than #Nepotism, Nepotism, manipulation and power plays shape careers more than family ties ever could.”

Netizens’ reaction to Aditya Pancholi’s allegations

Several netizens expressed their support for Aditya and criticized Anil. One netizen wrote: “This is a very honest approach. People often talk about nepotism, but the real story is how power, influence and silent politics decide who gets the chance. Respect for speaking the truth with grace.” Another netizen wrote: “The actor you mentioned has always lobbied for roles and has been known to take out other actors’ roles if they are better than his. He didn’t want Naseer sahab in Parinda. This is just an example of how insecure he has been throughout his career.” For the uninitiated, despite professional rivalry, Aditya and Anil worked together in Sanjay Gupta’s Musafir (2004).