Latest news with #ThirudaThiruda
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anu Aggarwal says she was never fully paid for Aashiqui: 'They still owe me 40 per cent'
It's been 35 years since Aashiqui made Anu Aggarwal a household name, but the actor claims she has still not been paid her full dues for the 1990 musical blockbuster. The film, co-produced by T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar and Vishesh Films (headed by Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt ), was a turning point in Aggarwal's career, but one that, according to her, came with financial injustice. Speaking to Pinkvilla, Anu revealed that she was only paid 60% of the fees she was promised for Aashiqui. 'They still owe me the 40%,' she said. Despite this, she clarified that she never reached out to the filmmakers to recover the remaining amount. 'It's okay, I earned a lot,' she added, explaining that her income from modelling far exceeded what she made from films. Anu, who also starred in King Uncle and Mani Ratnam's Thiruda Thiruda, reflected on how she became one of the earliest actors, male or female, to endorse brands in India. She claimed that before her, only cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar were seen as brand ambassadors. 'There wasn't even a male actor who was a brand ambassador back then,' she said. Accepting her unpaid dues with grace, she remarked, 'Theek hai yaar. Ye meri gift hai unko (It's okay. This is my gift to them).' Anu Aggarwal shares her casting couch experience: A top director came to my house with a bottle of liquor by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kardiolog: Bukfett efter 50? Sätt det i dina skor Hälsotips Undo However, the former actor didn't shy away from commenting on the murky financial practices in the film industry of the '90s. She recalled how artists who demanded their rightful payments were often subjected to malpractices. 'It was a dirty business,' she said, adding that the film world was heavily influenced by underworld figures like Dawood Ibrahim during that era. According to her, much of the money flowing into Bollywood at the time came from illicit sources and transactions were often 'under the table.' Anu Aggarwal stepped away from acting after Return of Jewel Thief in 1996.
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Anu Aggarwal reveals she hasn't been paid 40% of her dues for Aashiqui yet: ‘That's my gift to them, I earned more from modelling'
Anu Aggarwal broke out 35 years ago with Mahesh Bhatt's blockbuster musical romance Aashiqui in 1990. While she became a household name after that, the actor says she still hasn't been paid her full fees for the film. Aashiqui was co-produced by the late Gulshan Kumar's T-Series and Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt's banner Vishesh Films. 'I haven't gotten the full fees for Aashiqui till today. I've only been paid 60% of the full fees. They still owe me the 40%,' said Aggarwal. However, she denied ever approaching the makers to settle her dues. 'It's okay, I earned a lot. I earned much more in modelling. I became a brand ambassador,' she added. In the interview with Pinkvilla, Anu Aggarwal claimed that she was the first actor to become a brand ambassador. 'There wasn't even a male actor who was a brand ambassador back then. Only cricket heroes were brand ambassadors then, like Sunil Gavaskar and all,' said Aggarwal. 'Theek hai yaar. Ye meri gift hai unko (It's okay. This is my gift to them),' she added, referring to the makers of Aashiqui on her unpaid dues. Agarwal, however, recalled that a lot of actors who came up to producers to ask for their dues back then were subjected to malpractices. 'It was a dirty business. Today, I'm not in it. If I do a film now, I can tell you how dirty it is compared to back then. At that time, it was all under the table. It was ruled by people like Dawood Ibrahim. All the money that came into the industry came from the underworld. So it was a completely different scenario,' added Aggarwal. The actor said that she didn't have to face any casting couch experiences either. 'My first film was with Mahesh Bhatt. He's a personality, a filmmaker in his own right. I learnt so much from him. I had close relationships with all my directors. And there was no hanky-panky. There was no casting couch. My agent, two years down the line, was laughing and saying, 'Anu's got her own casting couch. When the director comes in, she says lie down.' It's just a joke (laughs),' said Aggarwal. However, she admitted casting couch was a reality, just like in any other industry. 'Where does casting couch not exist? What are you saying? Is there no casting couch in banks and corporate houses? Why are we pretending,' asked Aggarwal, adding, 'At the end of the day, you should make it. It's not bad. What's bad is if you don't use your full potential.' Also Read — Anu Aggarwal recalls slapping Mehmood so hard that he started crying: 'My character was a psycho' Anu Aggarwal went on to do films like Mani Ratnam's Tamil black comedy caper Thiruda Thiruda and Rakesh Roshan's action comedy King Uncle in 1993. Her last film was Return of Jewel Thief in 1996.
