Sholey Film Star (Social Media)
Entertainment News:The fees of the artists of the iconic film ‘Sholay’ were quite low by today’s standards, but during the 1970s, these amounts were considered significant. Made on a modest budget, the film featured some of the finest actors of that era, and their payments reflected the industry norms of the time. Interestingly, Dharmendra, who played the role of Veeru, was paid more than Amitabh Bachchan, who portrayed Jai. Dharmendra received approximately ₹1.5 lakh, while Amitabh was paid around ₹1 lakh. This difference surprises many today, given Amitabh’s current superstar status. Other cast members, including Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, and Amjad Khan, were also paid modest amounts relative to today’s standards. Despite the relatively low fees, their performances made ‘Sholay’ a timeless classic that continues to be loved by audiences across generations. This glimpse into the remuneration of the stars shows how much the Bollywood industry has evolved over the decades.
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, released in 1975, 'Sholay' is one of the most memorable films of Indian cinema. The total budget of this film was around ₹ 3 crore, which was considered a huge amount at that time. Despite this, the fees paid to the film's Starcast were much lower than today.
Dharmendra was one of the most popular stars of that era and already had a strong stardom. So he received the biggest fees of the film. At the same time, Amitabh Bachchan was an emerging artist at that time, whose film 'Zanjeer' was a hit shortly before.
In 'Sholay', many tributaries also played important roles, whose fees were also paid according to that time:
On adding all these fees, it is clear that there was a financial pressure on the film's team, but the actors made it historic with their acting.
In today's time, when it comes to gender pay gap, Sholay's fee structure can become an example of this inequality. The best actresses like Hema Malini and Jaya Bachchan were paid much less than male artists. Jaya Bachchan received a fee of only ₹ 35,000, while her character brings depth and emotional strength in the film.
Dharmendra was not only the main hero of the film, but he played a role in getting Amitabh Bachchan work in this film. Due to his popularity, experience and star power, he received a big fee of ₹ 1.5 lakh.nAt the same time, the roles of Sanjeev Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan were also important, but at that time their star value was considered less than Dharmendra. 'Sholay' is not only remembered for its story, acting and dialogues, but also shows how the film made in a limited budget can become historical. Dharmendra, Amitabh, Hema and other artists made it immortal with their acting without high fees.Today, when it comes to crores of fees, this fee structure of Sholay reminds us of the simplicity and dedication of that era.
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