Salman Khan was paid less than the cheapest iPhone for his debut movie. The actress got five times more

Economic Times

3 hours ago

In Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989), Salman Khan earned just Rs 31,000 for his debut role—less than the price of today's cheapest iPhone. Co-star Bhagyashree was paid Rs 1.5 lakh, five times more than Salman. Actress Parveen Dastur, who also featured in the film, revealed these pay details while praising Rajshri Productions for fair and timely payments. Despite the modest salaries, the film became a massive hit and marked the beginning of Salman Khan's successful Bollywood career.
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Bhagyashree Took Home the Highest Paycheck
Salman's Early Days in the Industry
Back in 1989, Bollywood witnessed the launch of a future superstar with Maine Pyaar Kiya. However, what many fans may not know is that Salman Khan, who headlined the romantic drama, was not the highest-paid member of the cast. In fact, his remuneration for the film was less than the cost of the most affordable iPhone available in India today.According to past interviews, Salman Khan was initially paid Rs 31,000 for his role in Maine Pyaar Kiya. While this amount was later increased to Rs 75,000, his original fee was significantly lower when compared to current prices of the iPhone 16e, Apple's lowest-cheapest in-production model as of 2025, priced at Rs 59,990. His first agreed payment would be considered modest even by today's standards for a leading role.While Salman Khan received a modest sum for his lead role, his co-star Bhagyashree was paid significantly more. Parveen Dastur, who also acted in the film, revealed in a recent podcast that Bhagyashree was paid Rs 1.5 lakh. This makes her earnings nearly five times higher than Salman's original fee. Parveen herself received Rs 25,000, which she considered a generous amount at the time, as industry norms were much lower.She recalled that Rajshri Productions , while not known for high salaries, maintained a strong reputation for timely and fair payments. Parveen praised the studio for providing a comfortable work environment that included proper makeup rooms and meals—something not always guaranteed on film sets back then.Salman Khan had earlier opened up about his initial earnings in the industry. He mentioned earning Rs 75 for dancing in a stage show and Rs 750 for a soft drink advertisement before landing his first major film role. Despite being a debutant, the success of Maine Pyaar Kiya eventually elevated his position in the industry. Still, the payment gap in his first film remains a striking detail in hindsight.Maine Pyaar Kiya, directed by Sooraj Barjatya, became the highest-grossing film of 1989 and turned into a career-defining project for many involved. While Bhagyashree chose to step away from the spotlight soon after, Salman Khan's journey as a Bollywood icon had just begun.