Mithun Chakraborty once outshone Amitabh Bachchan, says film exhibitor: ‘He charged ₹1 lakh a day'
How Mithun kept the single screens alive
In a recent episode of the Digital Commentary podcast, Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema—one of Bihar's oldest theatres—shared how Mithun's stardom kept the business afloat during challenging times.
'Mithun is a legend, no matter what anyone says. There was a time when he gave us two films every month. Every Mithun film opened with 100% occupancy. We knew the week would be good if it were his movie. Mithun Chakravarthy ne single screeen ko sambhala hua tha jab Bollywood dheere dheere apni elitist daur me nikal gaya tha (Mithun Chakraborty had kept single-screen cinemas alive when Bollywood slowly drifted into its elitist phase)," said Vishek.
"There was a period between 85-90 when Mithun Chakraborthy was rubbing shoulders with the top. Sometimes, people would place him above Amitabh Bachchan, that Mithun has become so big and given so many hits, so he has seen that kind of stardom too," Vishek added.
Vishak also highlighted the unique business model behind Mithun's films. Shot primarily in Ooty and often produced by Rajeev Babbar, the movies were low-budget but profitable. He explained that Mithun would charge ₹1 lakh a day, but filming had to be in Ooty. The crew would stay at the Monarch Hotel, which he owned. The film would reach the theatre owners in Ooty.
Mithun's latest work
Mithun recently starred the rom-com legal drama Shreeman vs Shreemati which released in May this year. He is also featured in Vivek Agnihotri's historical-political film The Bengal Files: Right To Life, set to release on September 5, 2025
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