Imran Khan opened up about Bollywood’s budget-driven casting process, revealing he wasn’t the first choice for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola. He also claimed today’s A-list stars earn no less than Rs 30 crore per film
Imran Khan
After teasing his comeback for a long time, Imran Khan is all set to return to the big screen with Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos. The actor was last seen in the 2015 film Katti Batti. He has now opened up about Bollywood’s casting process and reflected on the massive pay cheques of A-list stars such as Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.
Imran Khan on Bollywood casting process
In an interview with Samdish Bhatia, Imran spoke about how casting decisions are made in Bollywood. He revealed that he was not the first choice for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, which also starred Anushka Sharma. Director Vishal Bhardwaj had initially approached Ajay Devgn for the role. However, Ajay exited the film during the preparation stage, and Imran was brought on board. According to Imran, Vishal did not cast him because he was the ideal fit, but because his presence helped secure a certain budget for the film.
Speaking candidly, Imran said, “The approach to casting is all based on budget, even now. It has nothing to do with whether you’re the right actor for the role. They’re just thinking, ‘How much money can I get with him?’ That’s how I ended up being cast in Matru. On my back, they could get an X amount of money.”
When asked about how much A-list stars earn per film today, Imran replied, “If you’re an A-lister in theatrical films today, you’re not earning less than Rs 30 crore per film. Anyone my age, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor, they’re not earning less than that. I’d be surprised if any of them are earning less.”
Imran on his success after Jaane Tu...
Imran also addressed the dramatic shift he experienced after the success of his debut film Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. The film became an overnight hit, and his fee increased exponentially. “When my first film released and became a hit, I went from being paid nothing to being paid multiple crores at the age of 25. Suddenly, you’re being paid Rs 7–10 crore,” he said.
By the time Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na was released, Imran had already completed three films but was paid very little for them. “The first film was Jaane Tu, which was my home production. The second was Kidnap, where they didn’t want me and said, ‘Yeh le Rs 5 lakh.’ For the next film, I got Rs 7–8 crore. I suddenly thought, ‘Did my acting really grow that much from my previous film?’” he recalled.
Imran further revealed that the biggest pay cheque of his career was Rs 12 crore. By the time he was 27 or 28, he had more money than he had ever imagined. “I was not hungry for money, and my friends were not earning anywhere close to what I was. That created a sense of disconnect,” he added.
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