Web Desk
Veteran Pakistani film and TV actor, Javed Sheikh, recently shared the details of his remuneration demand for his role as the father of Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan in the film ‘Om Shanti Om’.
During a recent interview with a digital channel, Javed Sheikh reminisced about his pleasant memories of working alongside Khan in a Bollywood production. He revealed that he had been working with filmmaker Farah Khan’s husband, Shirish Kunder, on a project titled ‘Jaan-e-Mann’ when he first met her.
Sheikh shared that Khan advised him to stay in India and settle there for more film opportunities when the ‘Jaan-e-Mann’ project was still in the planning phase. “I asked her to find me an apartment there, and she helped me with it,” he recalled.
The actor continued, “Later, when the script for ‘Om Shanti Om’ was finalized, they approached me with the look of the character, costumes, and everything was settled. So their manager came to sign the contract and asked about the remuneration, to which I replied, ‘There will be none’.”
“I told him, ‘It is an honor for me to play the role of Shahrukh’s father in one of his biggest films. For the sake of Farah and him, I will not charge any money for the film’. However, when he refused to accept this, I asked for Re. 1 as my fee for the project,” he added.
Javed Sheikh further mentioned that the final payment was decided by the filmmakers, and the first paycheck he received as an advance for the project exceeded his expectations.
The romantic film ‘Om Shanti Om’, released in 2007, was written and directed by Farah Khan. It was produced by Shahrukh Khan and his wife Gauri’s production banner, Red Chillies Entertainment. The movie marked the Bollywood debut of renowned actor Deepika Padukone opposite Khan.
‘Om Shanti Om’ achieved significant commercial success and emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. It also received numerous accolades, including 13 nominations at the Filmfare Awards.
