Hrithik Roshan’s fee was fixed lower than heroine’s for this film, producer said, ‘If film flops…’
The making of Bollywood classic was marked by unexpected financial twists and casting decisions. A high-profile film's producer risked personal assets, and lead actors had unique payment structures tied to its success.
In the year 2000, a high-profile Bollywood action-drama hit the screens, making waves with its gripping storyline and notable cast. Behind the scenes, there were surprising financial twists and casting decisions that few fans knew about at the time.
Which film is this?
The film, Mission Kashmir, starred Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta in lead roles and was directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Interestingly, Hrithik Roshan was paid Rs 11 lakh for his role, which was less than Preity Zinta’s Rs 15 lakh, a surprising detail given his rising popularity. Vidhu Vinod Chopra revealed that if the film had failed, he would have had to sell his house to cover the losses. Initially, Shah Rukh Khan was supposed to play the role of Altaf, and Amitabh Bachchan was cast as Inayat Khan. However, both actors left the project to work on Mohabbatein, which led Chopra to cast Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt in their place.
What was Sanjay Dutt’s fee and repercussions for Hrithik and Preity?
The screenplay was written by Suketu Mehta, who later revealed several details about the film in his 2004 book, Maximum City. One intriguing point was Sanjay Dutt’s payment structure: he was to receive Rs 25 lakh only after the film recovered its budget. If the film had flopped, he would not have earned anything. However, Hrithik Roshan’s pay for the film was initially set at Rs 11 lakh, but if the movie had flopped, he would have received only Rs 1 lakh. Additionally, he was promised a bonus of Rs 10 lakh if the film succeeded. On the other hand, Preity Zinta’s contract stated that she would earn Rs 15 lakh if the film made a profit, but only Rs 1 lakh if it failed. For the unversed, Mission Kashmir earned Rs 44 crore at the box office and emerged as successful venture.
Story Highlights
- Mission Kashmir’s lead actors, Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta, had unique payment structures tied to the film’s success.
- Hrithik Roshan was initially paid Rs 11 lakh, while Preity Zinta was paid Rs 15 lakh.
- Sanjay Dutt was to receive Rs 25 lakh only after the film recovered its budget.
- Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan were initially cast, but left for Mohabbatein.
Mission Kashmir’s behind-the-scenes story is full of surprises. The film’s producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, risked losing his house if the film flopped.
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