Amitabh Bachchan’s charges shocking fees for ‘Mohabbatein,’ revealed by Nikkhil Advani
- Advani cites the strong bond between Bachchan and Yash Chopra, who had previously agreed to pay him what he had asked for.
- Advani also recalls the atmosphere on Yash Raj Films sets.
- “Mohabbatein,” directed by Aditya Chopra and backed by Chopra.
In the late 90s, Amitabh Bachchan, the ‘angry young man’ of the 70s, was facing a rough patch in his career when Yash Chopra’s “Mohabbatein?” became a ray of hope for him. Recently, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani revealed that the superstar charged only Re. 1 for his role in “Mohabbatein”. He did this because Yash Chopra had paid him what he had asked for “Silsila” in 1981.
Nikkhil Advani, who entered Bollywood during the 90s, closely witnessed the making of several big films from that era. In his recent interview with Mirchi, he recalled how personal equations and bonds were prioritized in the industry. To illustrate his point, he cited the example of the strong bond between Amitabh Bachchan and Yash Chopra.
He revealed that during the making of the 1981 film, Yash Chopra asked lead actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was at the peak of his career, what pay he wanted for the film. At that time, Bachchan, who wanted to buy a house, shared his desire with Chopra and asked for a decent amount, which Chopra gladly provided.
Later, when the megastar faced a rough patch in his career and a financial crunch, he signed “Mohabbatein” with the filmmaker. This time, when Chopra asked what pay he would want, Big B simply asked for Re. 1, as a gesture of gratitude for the help Chopra had given him during “Silsila”.
Advani recalled, “During Mohabbatein, when Yash ji asked Amit ji how much he wants, Amit ji said, ‘You gave me what I asked for back then, this time, I’ll do the film for Re 1’. He did it for Re 1.”
Nikkhil explained that this gesture highlighted the importance of loyalty and personal relationships within the industry. He also emphasized that today’s industry is more focused on calculations.
Moreover, Advani shared his fond memories of the atmosphere on the Yash Raj Films sets and mentioned how Pamela Chopra, Yash Chopra’s wife, would cook for everyone on set. He said, “Pam Aunty (Pamela Chopra) would make food for us. She’d go around asking if anybody had any allergies. She would create menus. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was made like that, Mohabbatein was made like that…”
Directed by Aditya Chopra and backed by Yash Chopra, “Mohabbatein” became one of the highest-grossing films of 2000. In addition to Amitabh Bachchan, the film featured Shah Rukh Khan, Uday Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Jimmy Shergill, Jugal Hansraj, and others in significant roles.
