THIS ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' star charged just Rs 11 as fees; director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra reveals why
's 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', one of the most celebrated biopics made in Bollywood, completed its 12th anniversary this year. The 2013 film, which chronicled the inspiring life of Indian sprinter
Milkha Singh
, featured
Farhan Akhtar
in a career-defining role.
Made on a budget of Rs 41 crore, the film went on to even win an impressive 55 awards at both national and international award shows.
While Akhtar's performance and dedication to his role bowled over fans and critics alike, it was another gesture by one of the film's cast members that won appreciation. At a time when actors are in the news for charging whopping fees exceeding Rs 50 to Rs 100 crore, back in 2013, one star on Mehra's cast did the unthinkable and charged a fee of just Rs 11.
Rs 11 Paycheque
This star was none other than the lead actress,
Sonam Kapoor
. The actress, who appeared in a brief but pivotal role as Biro, a character who alters Milkha's emotional journey, charged a nominal fee, surprising even the director. In an earlier interview with Bombay Times, director Mehra revealed the circumstances that led to this remuneration. He said, 'I approached Sonam and told her clearly that she would be in the film for about 15 minutes.
I wasn't sure if her character would appear in the trailer or the poster,' he recalled.
'She listened and said, 'The film must be made, and I'll charge you a bomb.' Later, her contract arrived — and the fee was just Rs 11 as shagun. She brought great dignity to the part.'
Film's Enduring Relevance
Looking back on the film's enduring relevance, he reflected on its historical and emotional resonance. 'Some stories don't fade out; they mature with time. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is one of them. It's timeless, not topical,' he said.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag also starred Divya Dutta,
Pawan Malhotra
, and
Yograj Singh
in key roles.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Saiyaara box office collection day 20: Aditya Chopra predicted Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda's film would earn Rs 100 cr; it's earned more than three times as much
Mohit Suri's romantic drama Saiyaara, starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, was never meant to be a Yash Raj Films project. Aditya Chopra's banner is best known for delivering iconic love stories like his late legendary father Yash Chopra's Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Aditya's own Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Mohabattein (2000), and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008). On the other hand, Suri, who's a product of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films, is renowned for helming Aashiqui 2 (2013), Ek Villain (2014), and Half Girlfriend (2017). But their combination has wielded great results, as Saiyaara has crossed the Rs 500 crore milestone at the worldwide box office and the Rs 300 crore mark at the domestic box office in less than three weeks. It's the highest-grossing romantic film of India, and also the highest-grossing Indian movie starring newcomers. On Wednesday (day 20), it added another Rs 2 crore to the Indian box office, a slight dip from its Tuesday earnings of Rs 2.5 crore. The current box office collection of Saiyaara in India stands at Rs 306.6 crore, as per Sacnilk. In an interview with PTI, Suri revealed that Aditya Chopra had predicted Saiyaara's success, yet probably not to this historic extent. In fact, the producer predicted the film would make Rs 100 crore right after watching just the rough edit. 'I didn't really fall for that I think. I was not too sure. I was still like, 'Let me edit the film. Let me bring it down,'' said Suri. Interestingly, Saiyaara was initially being developed as Aashiqui 3 by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. However, since Suri wanted to take time in finishing his script, the movie then went to Anurag Basu, who's developing the threequel with Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela. 'Once there was no sequel pressure or of a star cast which had an opening number to live up to, I stopped caring about the commerce. And I just went and made a film,' said Suri, adding, 'If I was making a sequel, or a franchise, I would be somewhere playing to a commerce like 'Let's make it better than Aashiqui 2. Let's make the music better'. I didn't do that. I did what's best for the film. It was such a liberating process.' Also Read — '40-year-old actor insecure by Saiyaara's success': Komal Nahta says star's face fell at Bhushan Kumar's party after hearing verdict for Ahaan Panday's film Saiyaara marks the debut of Aneet, best known for her turn in the Prime Video India coming-of-age show Big Girls Don't Cry last year. It also serves as a launchpad for Ahaan, the first cousin of Ananya Panday and the nephew of Chunky Panday. Both the actors were strategically kept away from promotions, which seems to have paid rich dividends. 'I genuinely felt that if we arm these kids with a story, a narrative, a song, then they have a better fighting chance rather than just the way they look or how they are photographed,' Suri reasons.
Hindustan Times
12 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘No crash diets or quick fixes': A look inside Kiara Advani's bikini-ready diet for War 2
Kiara Advani's bikini body in War 2 isn't just the result of good genes — it's the product of months of planning, precision, and pure discipline. As the new mum gears up for her debut in the YRF Spy Universe alongside Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in War 2 fans have been buzzing over her sizzling new avatar as Kavya Luthra. And while her transformation may look like the work of an intense crash course, it turns out Kiara's secret weapon was something much more holistic and sustainable. Her nutritionist spilled all the details to Pinkvilla, and the takeaway is clear: discipline, not deprivation. Kiara Advani in War 2 'When Kiara spoke to me for her prep, the goal was clear: to be in the best shape of her life for her first-ever bikini shot on screen,' her nutritionist shared. 'She didn't want shortcuts. She wasn't looking for a crash diet or a quick fix. She wanted something sustainable, holistic — and something that made her feel strong.' What did she eat? Every element of her meal plan was measured and intentional—right down to the oil used in cooking or a light sprinkle of Parmesan. And yes, there were pancakes involved. 'Her mornings always started with her non-negotiable protein pancakes,' the nutritionist explained. 'The pancakes were made with oat flour, walnut flour, protein powder, maple syrup or monk fruit, and water, topped with fresh berries and homemade hazelnut butter. She loved them so much that we even shot a video before she left for her European schedule to ensure the entire team knew exactly how to make them right.' Kiara's meals throughout the day focused on lean protein and fresh, vibrant ingredients. Her lunches and dinners rotated between grilled chicken, chicken curries, asparagus, baby potatoes, avocado, edamame, pesto, and hummus with vegetable crudites. 'We kept her meals light but high in protein and tailored them closely to her training and shoot schedule,' the nutritionist said. Snacks weren't off the table either. One of Kiara's go-to picks? 'Good old sattu chaas — a blend of roasted Bengal gram flour seasoned lightly with jeera powder and coriander leaves. It's a refreshing, natural Indian protein-rich drink that helped with hydration and recovery, especially after long workouts or outdoor shoots.' Prep before the bikini scene When it came to shooting the now-viral bikini scene, the prep wasn't built around extreme tactics. 'We didn't do anything drastic or unhealthy — no extreme cutting or water depletion,' her nutritionist revealed. 'Instead, we planned it backwards—adjusting sodium, water, and fibre intake gradually while keeping energy levels high.' While Kiara was filming in Tuscany and Rome, her team even coordinated with local chefs to keep her meals on point. 'We shared allergen information, sourced local ingredients, and designed menus that aligned with her macros and the demands of the shoot.' But diet was only part of the transformation. Sleep and recovery were just as critical. 'We were intentional about setting a circadian rhythm, ensuring she got adequate rest,' the expert explained. 'Everything—her meal timings, training windows, and even caffeine intake—was structured around this rhythm. With her demanding shoot schedule and training simultaneously, her body needed recovery, and building a strong sleep-wake routine helped us optimise everything else. She was in bed by 8 pm. Her dedication and discipline was commendable.' From what we've seen so far, all that commitment has paid off. And with her fiery portrayal of Kavya Luthra already setting the internet ablaze, Kiara's War 2 debut might just be her most exciting move yet.
Indian Express
12 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Mahavatar Narsimha box office collection day 13: World-of-mouth sensation beats Son of Sardaar 2, Dhadak 2, and Saiyaara, earns Rs 112 crore
Mahavatar Narsimha box office collection day 13: Mahavatar Narsimha earned Rs 6 crore domestically as it completes two weeks in theatres. The film's day 13 collections were three times higher than Son of Sardaar 2's, and about five times higher than Dhadak 2's collection. These two new releases have also earned less than Ahaan Panday's holdover hit Saiyaara, which managed to earn Rs 2 crore, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. Mahavatar Narsimha, which is the first ever-project by Kleem Productions, became a sleeper hit. After opening at Rs 1.75 crore, the film's business grew thanks to solid word-of-mouth. With the numbers getting better with each passing day, Mahavatar Narsimha crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in India in just 12 days of release. On its 13th day, the film earned a total of Rs 6 crore, with its total India collection standing at Rs 112 crore. Despite it being a working day, the animated film, inspired by the legend of Narsimha, recorded and overall occupancy of 24.42% in Telugu 3D, 13.64% in Hindi 2D, 18.27% in Hindi 3D and 27.35% in Telugu 3D. Excluding the number of shows in the Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam languages, the film had a total of 3931 shows in Hindi and Telugu across India with 332 shows in Telugu 3D, 1725 shows in Hindi 3D, 1491 shows in Hindi 2D and 383 shows in Telugu 2D. The film has found a great audience in the Hindi speaking belt with majority of the collection coming from its Hindi version. ALSO READ | Mahavatar Narsimha movie review: Epic in scale, uneven in execution The Indian animated film has also crossed borders and reached countries like Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and France with multiple shows scheduled across Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. It has also reached Oman and Bahrain. In India alone, it has sold over 3 million tickets in first 10 days on BookMyShow. Amid the success, there were rumours that the film will hit an OTT platform soon. However, the makers took to their official Instagram handle to clear the air. Ashwin Kumar, the director of the film and founder of Kleem Productions, shared a note. It read: 'We have been receiving a lot of buzz about Mahavatar Narsimha coming to OTT soon — but let us clarify: For now, our film is ONLY available in theatres across the whole wide world. We have not finalised any OTT platform yet. Please believe only authentic updates shared from our official handles.' The success of the film has also given rise to several memes with people drawing comparisons with Hollywood film Avatar. One of the meme reads: 'America — We have Avatar. India — We have MahaAvatar.' With no big releases scheduled for this weekend, films Mahavatar Narsimha and Saiyaara have another week to add to their collections. The films might get affected in the Independence weekend with two big films hitting the big screen: Hrithik Roshan's War 2 and Rajinikanth's Coolie. Meanwhile, Saiyaara has crossed Rs 300 crore mark.
