Nayak: The Real Hero (transl. Hero) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language political action thriller film co-written and directed by S. Shankar and produced by A. M. Rathnam under the Sri Surya Movies banner. The film stars Anil Kapoor, with Rani Mukerji, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal, and Johnny Lever playing supporting roles. A remake of Shankar's 1999 Tamil-language film Mudhalvan, it focuses on Shivaji Rao Gaekwad (Kapoor), a television cameraman and, later, television presenter, who accidentally hears and records a conversation between the police and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Balraj Chauhan (Puri) to take an indifferent stand during riots triggered by a fight between college students and a bus driver. While interviewing Chauhan about the issues, Shivaji is challenged to take over the chief minister's job for a day.

Johnny Lever is an Indian actor and popular comedian who is known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the first and most recognised comedians in India. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including thirteen Filmfare Awards nominations in Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, and has won the award twice, for his work in Deewana Mastana (1997) and Dulhe Raja (1998). He began his career in 1984, and has acted in more than three hundred Hindi films.