Chetan Bhagat earned just ₹11L from blockbuster '3 Idiots'
What's the story
Chetan Bhagat, the author of Five Point Someone, recently revealed that he earned only ₹11L from the book's 2009 film adaptation, 3 Idiots. In a recent interview with Kushal Lodha on his podcast, he said that he had initially agreed to a ₹1L contract with a ₹10L bonus. Despite the film's massive success, earning over ₹350 crore worldwide on a budget of just ₹55 crore, Bhagat's earnings remained relatively modest.
Fair payment
'I was pretty new then': Bhagat on initial payment
Bhagat defended the initial payment, saying, "I was pretty new then. Later, such rights were sold for crores." "But when I sold the rights, I didn't even know if the film would ever be made...it was an unconventional story. Nobody imagined Aamir Khan would do it." "So I think, at that time, I was paid fairly. It sounds small compared to what the film made, but it was fair for the situation."
Actor's pay
'Comparatively, ₹11L for a successful film seemed fair'
Bhagat also compared his earnings to actor Saif Ali Khan's pay for Parineeta, which was reportedly ₹25L. He said, "So comparatively, ₹11L for a successful film seemed fair." "The book came out in 2004, I sold the rights in 2005, and the movie released in 2009. I was still working at a bank then."
Payment structure
How rights are sold for Bhagat's books
Bhagat explained the payment structure for his later book adaptations, 2 States and Half Girlfriend. He said, "You sell the rights for a fixed amount. You get part of it in advance, another part when the studio greenlights the project, and the rest before release." He added that he prefers fixed payments over profit-sharing models due to potential discrepancies in profit reporting by production houses.
Rights
What happens when you sell film rights?
Bhagat also explained how film rights work when they are sold. "When you sell the rights, it's usually for three years. If they don't make the film in that time, the rights revert to you." "Often, if they do proceed, they pay you more and then the rights remain with them permanently." 3 Idiots also starred Kareena Kapoor Khan and Boman Irani.