Anil Kapoor slammed by Pahlaj Nihalani: ‘He begged for Andaz, now calls it B-grade’

Veteran filmmaker and ex-CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has reacted sharply to Anil Kapoor’s recent comments labelling the 1994 film Andaz as a “B-grade movie.” In a conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Nihalani accused the actor of lying about his involvement and enthusiasm for the project, claiming Kapoor was “desperate” to be cast in the film.

The David Dhawan-directed action-comedy featured Anil Kapoor alongside Karisma Kapoor and Juhi Chawla and stirred controversy at the time for its double-meaning song Khada Hai. The song, although a commercial success, faced backlash for its suggestive lyrics.

Nihalani didn't hold back in his response. “He called Andaz a B-grade film. But he was the one who chased it. Karisma begged me to be part of it. Anil Kapoor did several such films — how can he pretend now?” he said. The producer went on to say, “People were lining up to work with me then, and Anil was one of them.”

Addressing Anil’s claim that he was unaware of the song Khada Hai and had objected to its inclusion, Nihalani refuted it outright. “He’s jhootha number one. He had heard the song 50 times before we shot it. He said, ‘This song will make our film a hit.’ Only Juhi Chawla raised concerns. Anil was all for it,” he insisted. Nihalani accused the actor of rewriting the past and attempting to tarnish his name. “I’ve never made a B-grade movie in my life,” he added firmly.

Andaz, despite its mixed critical reception, was commercially successful and featured a popular supporting cast including Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Raj Babbar, and Mahesh Anand.

Meanwhile, Anil Kapoor is gearing up for the release of Alpha, part of YRF’s spy universe. Directed by Shiv Rawail, the film also stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari and is expected to release this Christmas. It follows Pathaan and Tiger 3, continuing the studio’s franchise that includes War 2, which is set for an August 14 release.

As this war of words unfolds, it highlights how memories of Bollywood’s past are often contested—and rarely forgotten.