As a devoted admirer of Bollywood, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable journey of Salman Khan from his humble beginnings to the megastar he is today. The story of how he was signed for Rs 5000 and then his fees skyrocketed to Rs 5 lakh within a short span of time is a testament to his raw talent and the magic he brings to the screen.
Salman Khan is a well-known figure in Indian cinema and currently ranks among Bollywood’s top earners, but things weren’t always so lucrative for him early on as an actor. The director of the film “Saajan” (1991), which starred Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Madhuri Dixit, has recently disclosed the cast’s salaries at that time. He also shared how Salman Khan’s initial salary was just Rs 5000, but it quickly escalated to a whopping Rs 5 lakh within a brief period.
In an open conversation with Friday Talkies, director and cinematographer Lawrence D’Souza shared insights into his history with Bollywood star Salman Khan. He fondly recalled the time when the actor’s earnings skyrocketed after each movie he made became a success. Looking back at Salman’s early career, Lawrence disclosed an interesting tale: “We attended the audition for Maine Pyar Kiya at Rajshri; myself, S Ramanathan and Prayagraj. They arranged a private screening exclusively for us three. At first, I wasn’t too fond of the film, but as it progressed, I began to appreciate him.”
In simpler terms, Lawrence mentioned that following the trial, S Ramanathan instructed him to contact Salman and eventually agreed to hire him. At the time, Lawrence was working on a project called Pratiksha with Ramanathan. They promptly reached out to the actor, and he was signed up immediately. As D’Souza explained, “I phoned Salman at Ramanathan’s office, which was located near Raj Babbar’s office in Juhu. We paid him Rs 5,000 as a signing fee. After paying him, S Ramanathan fell silent, but unfortunately, the project didn’t come to fruition.”
After missing the initial chance to collaborate with Salman Khan, Producer Ramanathan reached out to him again when the actor achieved another success. Recognizing this opportunity, Ramanathan offered Khan Rs 5 lakh for another project. However, once more, Ramanathan fell silent, and Salman delivered yet another hit. Notably, Ramanathan resurfaced and called Khan again to pay a signing fee. In response, Salman commented to Lawrence, “Hey, what kind of guy is he? He pays me every time, then disappears.”
In a jovial manner, Lawrence shared an interesting tidbit: S Ramanathan’s film featuring Salman Khan never materialized, but I had the pleasure of working with him on Saajan instead. The director then disclosed some intriguing details about our remuneration for that romantic drama – Salman and Madhuri Dixit each earned 11 lakh rupees, while Sanjay Dutt took home 12 lakh as his acting fee.
In terms of his professional endeavors, Salman Khan is presently filming for a movie titled Sikandar, under the guidance of director AR Murugadoss. The production costs for this project are being covered by Sajid Nadiadwala on a grand scale, and the anticipated action flick is scheduled to premiere in cinemas during Eid 2025.
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2024-08-31 15:09