Why Anupam Kher hands Mahesh Bhatt ₹25,000 after every film
What's the story
Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher recently revealed that he pays director Mahesh Bhatt ₹25,000 for every film he does. This ritual started with just ₹250 and has increased over the years. The tradition is Kher's way of expressing gratitude to Bhatt, who gave him his first break in the film Saaransh. "He gave me my first break so back then I would give him ₹250 for every film," Kher said in a recent interview with Pinkvilla.
Evolving tradition
Kher adds that it's now more of a ritual
Kher further explained how the amount he gives to Bhatt has increased over time due to inflation. "It went from ₹250 to ₹500 to ₹1000 to ₹5000 and now is ₹25,000," he said. He added that Bhatt now simply holds the envelope he gives after every film, knowing how much money is inside. "It's more of a ritual than anything else," Kher said, calling it a "comedy."
Remake wish
Kher wants to remake 'Saaransh' as an action film
During the same interview, Kher was asked if he would like to revisit any of his 550 films in a remake. He expressed interest in reimagining Saaransh as an action film. "I want to do Saaransh 2 as an action actor... I told him, Bhatt saab, 'I really want to do action because I am working on myself.' I do display my body at the risk of being laughed at. I feel very happy about it," he said.
Casting controversy
When Bhatt replaced Kher in 'Saaransh'
Kher had previously recalled a time when Bhatt had temporarily recast him in Saaransh, replacing him with Sanjeev Kumar. Kher had spent months preparing for the role only to be told days before filming that he was being replaced. Devastated, he decided to leave Mumbai, but not before confronting Bhatt. "I wanted to make final climactic statement, and I told him that as a Brahmin man, I was cursing him," Kher had said in an earlier interview with ANI.