Gupt director Rajiv Rai explains why Ahaan Panday deserves ₹100 crore fees for Saiyaara

Rajiv Rai blamed producers for giving ₹100 crore fees to actors and then failing to recover film's budget upon release.

Ahaan Panday’s debut performance in Saiyaara has taken the industry by storm, earning praise not just from audiences but also from critics. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, filmmaker Rajiv Rai, known for cult classics like Mohra and Gupt, recently said that Ahaan’s work in the film was worth ₹100 crore, even if he didn’t receive it.

Rajiv Rai opened up about what Ahaan Panday deserves as fees for Saiyaara.

Rajiv spoke about how some actors demand ₹100 crore as fees, inflating a film’s budget to over ₹300 crore, yet fail to deliver at the box office. He said, “I would blame the producers because they are willing to pay. An actor can even quote ₹1,000 crore. It’s a basic demand and supply. Since there’s more money in the market now, everyone’s chasing glamour over substance. They think audiences will show up just because a certain actor is in the film. But glamour doesn’t sell alone. They don’t even bother to look closely at the script.”

Rajiv Rai says Ahaan Panday deserves ₹100 crore as fees for Saiyaara

The filmmaker elaborated that while lakhs of fans may gather outside a star’s home, those same people may not buy tickets to watch their films unless the content connects with them. He further explained how he calculates an actor’s worth:

“Whatever I pay them, they must recover for me on Day 1. If I want to be generous, I’ll give them three days. If I’ve paid ₹100 crore to an actor, then the film must make that back within three days of release. That’s when they truly deserve that money. Ahaan deserves it, but I don’t think he got anything. So, when someone comes to me and asks for ₹10 crore, I simply say: I’ll give you my first day’s collection.”

Saiyaara collected ₹21.5 crore in India and crossed the ₹100 crore mark worldwide within just three days. In 11 days, the film has collected ₹256 crore in India and ₹373 crore globally. Its emotional narrative, the powerful performances of its lead actors, and the soulful music struck a chord with the audience. The film has emerged as one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2025.

About Rajiv Rai

Rajiv made his directorial debut in Bollywood with Yudh, starring Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff. He went on to make films like Tridev (starring Sunny Deol), Vishwatma, Mohra, Gupt and more. After his 2004 film Asambhav, he took a break from direction. However, he is now all set to make his comeback with Zora, which is slated to release in cinemas on 8 August.