India's most expensive comedian, with fees higher than Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, used to charge Rs...
Today, India is home to some of the highest-paid superstars. Stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rajinikanth, and Allu Arjun demand hefty fees for films, often ranging from R 100 to Rs 200 crore. But today, let us tell you about a comedian who, in his time, used to charge more than major stars like Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rajesh Khanna, even for cameo roles. Do you know his name? If not, let us tell you: the person we're talking about is Mehmood.
Mehmood began his career as a child artist in the 1940s film Kismat. In the 1950s, he made a mark with comic roles in films like CID and Pyaasa. However, from the beginning, he aspired to play lead roles. By the 1960s, Mehmood had not only established himself as India's leading comedian but also as a successful star. His films like Padosan, Bhoot Bangla, Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong, and Bombay to Goa were all hits.
By the end of the 1960s, the actor had become the highest-paid actor in the country. According to a report published in The Print, Mehmood used to charge Rs 7.5 lakh for just a two-week cameo in films at that time. In comparison, top actors of the era, like Sunil Dutt, Dharmendra, Shammi Kapoor, and Rajendra Kumar, charged less than Rs 5 lakh for a full-length film. Even superstars like Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan didn't cross the Rs 7.5 lakh mark until the mid-1970s. It is said that until the 1980s, Mehmood charged more for his cameo appearances than what Salman Khan and Aamir Khan earned for their initial films.
Let us tell you that after the 1980s, Mehmood appeared in very few films. He played small roles in movies like Andaz Apna Apna and Guddu. In 1996, he directed Dushman Duniya Ka, which was his last film as a director. Two years later, he appeared in Ghar Bazaar, which turned out to be his final film. Unfortunately, the movie flopped at the box office. Mehmood passed away in Mumbai in 2004 at the age of 71.
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