Rakesh Bedi recalls being discriminated and denied payment on film set: ‘Money was reserved for the hero’

Rakesh Bedi discusses the film industry's hierarchy, recalling an incident where he was denied payment in favour of a leading star.

Bollywood actor Rakesh Bedi, who is currently basking in the success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, has opened up about the harsh realities of hierarchy in the film industry. In a recent interview, the veteran actor recalled an incident from a film set where he was denied his due payment, while a leading star was prioritised, an experience that left a lasting impression on him.

Rakesh Bedi recalled being discriminated on a film set.

Rakesh recalled, “Mujhe yaad hai ek baar main shooting kar raha tha aur mujhe paise ki bahut zarurat thi. Aur usmein hero tha ek bada, main naam nahi loonga. Producer set pe aaya to uske haath mein paison ka packet tha. I could see that there is money in it. To maine kaha, 'Sir, meri instalment due hai, mujhe paise chahiye.' Usne kaha, 'Yaar abhi to paise nahi hai.' To mere muh se nikal gaya, maine kaha paise to hai'. He said, 'Yaar, hero ko dene hai yeh'... And I realised that this is how it works (I remember once I was shooting and I was in urgent need of money. There was a big star in the film, I won’t name him. The producer came to the set with a packet of cash in his hand. I could tell there was money in it. So I said, ‘Sir, my instalment is due, I need the payment.’ He replied, ‘I don’t have the money right now.’ It just slipped out of my mouth; I said, ‘But there is money.’ He said, ‘This is for the hero’).”

He explained that everything has an equity and it keeps changing. “At that time, I convinced myself that this is the norm and you have to live with it. If I or any other actor is getting a hierarchy, it doesn't mean main dusre waale ko kum samjhun yaa neecha samjhun yaa inhuman treat karoon. Main kisi bhi dressman se aapni joote nahi pehanwata, most actors pehanwate hain. Mujhe lagta hai voh demeaning hai (I shouldn’t consider others inferior or treat them as lesser or inhuman. I don’t make any dressman put my shoes on for me; most actors do. I feel that’s demeaning),” he said.

About Rakesh Bedi

The actor has carved a place for himself in the entertainment industry with several hit shows and films. He began his acting career in 1976 and first gained fame with his 1981 film Chashme Buddoor. He went on to feature in several successful films such as Ek Duuje Ke Liye, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Yes Boss, Gharwali Baharwali and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, among others. He also became a household name with his comic roles in television sitcoms like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Shrimaan Shrimati and F.I.R., among others.

In his recent release, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, fans praised his performance as Pakistani politician Jameel Jamali and appreciated his character arc. The film, which also stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Sara Arjun, has emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever, collecting over ₹1,750 crore worldwide at the box office.