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Imran Khan says highest pay cheque of his life came from his ‘most miserable film’

Imran Khan reflected on the high cost of his biggest pay cheque, realising it led to misery, which taught him to prioritise his happiness over financial gain.

Published on: Aug 25, 2026, 18:17:11 IST
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Actor Imran Khan has opened up about the price of chasing money and how one of the biggest pay cheques of his career ended up coming at the cost of his happiness and peace of mind. Reflecting on the experience, the actor said in an interview with Brut India that it taught him an important lesson about knowing when a financial reward is simply not worth the personal trade-off.

Imran Khan recalls most miserable experience on the film

Imran Khan recalls when he felt miserable on a film set.
Imran Khan recalls when he felt miserable on a film set.

Imran recalled getting his ‘highest’ pay cheque for an unnamed film, but having the most ‘miserable’ experience of his life while shooting it. He said, "The film I made that specifically gave me the highest pay cheque in my life was also the most miserable film I made. The process of making it. That taught me the lesson of how much that money is worth and how much your time and peace of mind are worth. What’s your trade-off point? What’s the point where you say, ‘Keep the money’.”

The experience taught Imran to set boundaries for himself. The actor revealed that now, he won't do any project just for money. “When someone says, ‘Take this money and do this’, I say no, I won’t do that for your money. You will reach a point somewhere to the idea that there is a price, but I would like to think that we also have a line that we won’t cross for the money. Even if the price is double, or three times the money, I still won’t do that. When you find that, it does something to your head,” he said.

About Imran Khan's career and comeback

After Katti Batti in 2015, Imran stepped away from acting and largely kept himself away from the spotlight. Over the years, his absence became a subject of curiosity among fans, with many continuing to hope for his return. In 2023, he began reconnecting with audiences by sharing behind-the-scenes memories from his earlier films, which sparked renewed interest in his career.

His comeback finally began in 2026 with a cameo in Vir Das' Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, marking his return to the big screen after nearly a decade. The appearance was particularly nostalgic as Imran reunited with his Delhi Belly co-star and friend Vir Das. Imran is now set to make his full-fledged comeback with Netflix's Adhure Hum Adhure Tum, directed by Danish Aslam, who previously worked with him on Break Ke Baad. Co-starring Bhumi Pednekar, the film has been described by Imran as a "grown-up romantic comedy" that is more age-appropriate for where he is in life today. The film is currently in post-production and is scheduled to release later this year.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Riya Sharma

Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.

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