Overview

• Shahi says industry peers warned him against casting Khanna as Anuj Kapadia, claiming his past shows "didn't work" and calling him "jinxed."
• He recounts locking Khanna while the actor was on a web-series shoot, planning a three-year deal, skipping a formal audition, and narrating the role at a Serbia airport immigration counter after only a look test.
• Khanna portrayed Anuj Kapadia from September 2021 to December 2024, a turn Shahi credits with making the character a hit.
• The producer says Khanna brought "hunger" after not doing a serial for six to seven years, which he believes strengthened the show alongside Rupali Ganguly’s lead run.
• Post-Anupamaa, Khanna won Celebrity MasterChef and is now on Bigg Boss 19, with Indian Express reporting he is the highest-paid contestant.