Veteran actress and politician Hema Malini dismissed the long-held belief that she was Bollywood's highest-paid actress during the peak of her career. Speaking in a recent podcast with Hindi Rush, the 'Dream Girl' star said actors of her generation were paid far less than today's stars and insisted that money was never her priority.
Hema, who dominated Hindi cinema throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, said she never received the kind of pay that leading actors command today despite being one of the industry's biggest stars.
"No, not at all. Kisne bola yeh? We used to get a very small amount. Itna kuch nahi dete the (They didn't pay us much). Directors and producers liked me a lot, but I never worked for money. Jaise jaise naam hota hai, they would increase the payment a little. That's all. I never got the exorbitant fees that today's stars receive. Uska ittu bhi nahi milta tha humko (We didn't even get a fraction of that)."
The actress said the respect, recognition and experience she gained from films were far more valuable than the money she earned. She also revealed that neither she nor her family ever pressured producers for higher payments.
"But uske baat hi alag hai lekin. Jo mila usmein jo hum logon ne pictures kari, that is more earning than actual money. Whatever a producer could afford to pay was fine. Otherwise, I never demanded, 'Itna hi chahiye varna nahi karungi picture'. I never did that. My mother handled everything, and she was very liberal with all the producers. If a producer said, 'I can't pay much for this film,' she would say, 'No problem.' We never insisted on money. Whatever little envelope they gave us, we accepted it, almost like bheeksha (alms)."
Hema made her Bollywood debut with Sapno Ka Saudagar in 1968 and went on to become one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated stars. Over the years, she delivered several memorable films, including Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Dream Girl, Satte Pe Satta and Baghban.
Apart from acting, Hema has also worked as a filmmaker and Bharatanatyam dancer. She currently serves as a Member of Parliament and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2000 for her contribution to Indian cinema.
