In the 1970s and early 1980s. Hema Malini he was one of the biggest stars of Bollywood and was known as one of the highest paid actors of the time. However, in a recent podcast interview, the veteran actor and politician refuted the long-standing claims, saying that he has never earned the fees that today’s stars command and is not driven by money in his career choices.
Hema Malini refuses to be the highest paid actress in Bollywood
Speaking on the topic in an interview with Hindi Rush, Hema Malini said, “No, no. Kisne bola yeh? (Who said that? ) We used to get very little money. Itna kuch nahi dete the (They didn’t pay us much). The directors and producers loved me a lot, but I never worked for money. Jaise jaise hai (A little jaise) increased your salary hota. everything. I have never had the highest fees that today’s stars get. Uska ittu bhi nahi milta tha humko (We have not received even a fraction of that).”Reflecting on the value of her work beyond the salary, Hema Malini added, “Koma uske baat hi alag hai lekin. Jo mila usmein jo hum logon ne kari kari, which earns more than real money. (But it’s a different story. Whatever we got from the films we worked on was more important than the money that would take real money. The payment was good. Otherwise, I didn’t want to say, ‘Itna hi chahiye varna nahi karungi picture’ (I need this money or I won’t do this film). I have never done that.
Hema Malini remembers her mother’s career in dealing with producers
The actor also thanked his mother for handling all the financial discussions in his career, revealing how fees were not important at the time. He said, “My mother handled everything, and she was very comfortable with all the producers. If the producer says, ‘I can’t afford to pay a lot of money to make this film,’ he’ll say, ‘No problem.’ We did not insist on money. Whatever small envelope they gave us, we accepted it, almost like bheeksha (charity).“
About Hema Malini
Hema Malini is one of the most popular actresses in Hindi cinema, often referred to as the “Dream Girl” for her work in the 1970s and 80s in romance, drama and action films. Beyond acting, he is a skilled Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancer, and has directed and produced several film and television projects over the years. In addition to her film career, Malini has been active in politics for a long time as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), having served as a Member of Parliament representing Mathura in the Lok Sabha. She is married to an actor Dharmendraand she is the mother of actors Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.
