In a candid new interview, Imran Khan has revealed the staggering economics of the film industry. He also went on to divulge the massive pay checks of A-list stars like Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. Additionally, the actor also reflected on his own financial journey during the peak of his stardom.
Imran Khan on his first film ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na ‘
Speaking on the Unfiltered by Samdish podcast, Imran Khan shared the experience of becoming an overnight sensation with the cult hit, ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’. He revealed that he was paid just Rs. 5 lakh for the Sanjay Dutt, Minisha Lamba starrer ‘Kidnap’, where the makers were initially hesitant to even cast him. However, it all changed following the massive success of ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’. He went on reveal how the highest paycheck that he had received for a film was Rs. 12 crore, without divulging its name.Khan said, “When my first film was released and became a hit, I went from being paid almost nothing to being paid multiple crores. At 25, suddenly you’re being paid Rs 7-10 crore. By the time Jaane Tu released, I had already done three films. I suddenly thought to myself, ‘Did my acting grow so much from my previous film?’”
Imran Khan on A-listers and their remunerations
In the same interview, Imran Khan went on to discuss the budgets of films. He noted how the industry’s A-listers are now command
ing astronomical figures that often put the rest of the production cost to shame.Khan said, “If you really consider the scale at which a leading actor earns in comparison to all other actors and all the other non-actors on set with all the recent films, there will come a moment where they will all sit and say ‘Hang on!’”Imran Khan added, “They will then analyse the whole thing, and somewhere in the mathematics and algebra, they will say, ‘This is not making sense.’ It doesn’t make sense to pay one person so much.” As for A-list actors’ fees today, Imran said, “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—I would be surprised if any of them are earning less than that.”
Imran Khan recalls an incident from Dubai
Imran Khan also went on to pinpoint at the exhaustion that comes with stardom as he recalled a humorous incident from a promotional trip in Dubai. His manager informed him that cutting a ribbon at a jewellery shop would earn him a gold iPhone. Tired and preparing for a flight to London, Imran declined, saying, “You keep the gold iPhone, I need a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.”
Imran Khan on filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj
The interview also touched upon his experience with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj during ‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’. He described the casting as “dishonest,” admitting he felt lonely during the shoot and struggled to connect with the project’s vision.
About Imran Khan
On the work front, Imran Khan will be seen in ‘Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos’ with Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Aamir Khan and Sharib Hashmi. The comedy drama is slated for a release on January 16, 2026.
