On Anil Kapoor’s 69th birthday, let us tell you that he signed the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire without reading the script.
Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor turned 69 on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, setting an example of aging gracefully. In his acting career so far, he has appeared in more than 100 films and continues to steal the hearts of fans with his performances.
Anil Kapoor is one of the most versatile Indian actors, having featured in both serious and comedy genres throughout his extensive career. His portrayal of Prem Kumar, the host of a game show in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, received widespread attention from both critics and audiences.
But did you know he signed on for the Oscar-winning film without reading the script? Yes! During a conversation at TIFF 2013, the War 2 actor revealed that he didn’t even know who director Danny Boyle was. Read on to find out what he said about how he got the role.
Anil Kapoor signed Slumdog Millionaire without reading the script
In a conversation at TIFF 2013, Anil Kapoor revealed that he agreed to do Slumdog Millionaire without reading the script. He said, “I’ve told this, I’m sure everybody knows, that I didn’t know who Danny Boyle was.” To which the host responded, “That’s right. I’d read that you didn’t know who he was.”
Anil added, “I didn’t know who he was. My son told me that he’s a big director, a renowned director. So I called one of my friends in LA, and they said, ‘Anil, he’s huge. He’s huge, you have to say yes’.
He further added, “I just knew that he directed The Beach with DiCaprio. You know, all over the world, general moviegoers remember the stars, not really the directors, except for the likes of Spielberg or, in India, directors who are widely known. So I said yes without reading the script, without really knowing what the role was. My son had read the script, and he loved it. He read my role as I would play it. So that’s how I ended up in Slumdog Millionaire.”
About Slumlog Millionaire
The British drama film, Slumdog Millionaire is considered one of the most beloved films.Directed by Danny Boyle, the film follows the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik, played by Dev Patel, who comes from the Juhu slums of Mumbai. In the film, Anil Kapoor played the host of the show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’. Notably, it holds an impressive IMDb rating of 8.
Also Read: Did you know Govinda once signed 70 films at one time? | Birthday special
