Bhagyashree recently spoke candidly about why she was paid more than her co-star Salman Khan in Maine Pyar Kiya, which was released in 1989. At the time, Salman Khan had only one film (Biwi Ho To Aisi)
to his credit, while Bhagyashree made her debut with the Sooraj Barjatya directorial. The actress, who was recently seen in Raja Shivaji, opened up about the reality behind pay structures in Bollywood, and explained that pay in the film industry is driven by ‘supply and demand’.
Bhagyashree On Higher Pay Than Salman Khan In Maine Pyar Kiya
In an interview with Zoom, Bhagyashree was asked about the fact that she was paid more than Salman Khan in Maine Pyar Kiya. In response, she said that an actor’s fee is often shaped by the supply and demand. “I don’t know whether people are going to like what I am going to say. It depends upon a lot of supply and demand. It is a simple business when we talk about money. A woman might put in hard work, but if the producer or director feels that she is replaceable by someone else who is offering a better price, then they will stick to the price that they are willing to pay to that particular actress. At that point in time, the actress would have to make a decision on whether she was willing to let go of the work that’s coming to her, and allow someone else to take it. Unless women in general come together and say this is what we are supposed to get paid, it is not going to happen.”
“There will always be someone who is ready to bargain to take a step back. This is the standard. It doesn’t happen, and it is not going to happen. There will always be someone who will say ‘achha, I will do this instead.’ Whether it’s work hours, whether it’s payment terms. This is a very volatile market,” she said.
Drawing a comparison to everyday decisions, she explained that film pricing works like a business strategy, where value-added factors influence cost—much like choosing to pay more for a home with additional amenities. “When you are working with a person, it is not just only about pay, but you also need to like working with that person. When you buy a flat, you are ready to pay a little bit extra because it has a swimming pool etc. Why do you do that? And when you don’t need those things, you are ready to compromise and pay lesser. So I think it’s a business strategy,” she said.
Bhagyashree Was The Highest Paid In Maine Pyaar Kiya
In 2023, actress Parvien Dastur, who played the role of Seema in Maine Pyaar Kiya, revealed that not superstar Salman Khan but Bhagyashree received the highest payment for her role as the female lead in the movie. Parvein claimed that Bhagyashree was paid Rs 1,50,000 for the film. Salman Khan had mentioned in an earlier interview that he was paid Rs 75,000 for the same movie.
Maine Pyaar Kiya was released in 1989 and also starred Reema Lagoo, Mohnish Bahl and Alok Nath among others.
