Know how much Sanjay Dutt, Mary Kom, Mahavir Phogat charged for their biopics

From Sanjay Dutt to Milkha Singh-check out how much money was paid as compensation to celebs for their biopics.

Published on: Oct 26, 2024, 17:15:44 IST

By Rishabh Suri

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The Phogat sisters recently revealed in an interview to News24 that while Dangal (2016) based on their life made over ₹2000 crores at the box office worldwide, they got ₹1 crore as compensation for rights to their life story. We take a look at how much other celebs charged over the years for their respective biopics.

Sanju was based on the life of actor Sanjay Dutt, Dangal was based on the Phogat family.

Mohammed Azhruddin- Azhar

FEE- Nothing

This 2016 film revolved around ex cricketer and former national team captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who charged nothing for the rights to make it. Actor Emraan Hashmi stepped into his shoes.

Milkha Singh- Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

FEE- Rupee 1

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, this 2013 film received critical acclaim and commercial success upon it’s release. It was based on the life of athlete and Commonwealth champion Milkha Singh, popularly called The Flying Sikh, and portrayed by Farhan Akhtar on the big screen. In an earlier interview, Mehra revealed that Singh was being offered a sum of ₹2 crores as compensation, but he accepted only Rupee 1.

Mahavir Singh Phogat and daughters Geeta, Babita- Dangal

FEES- ₹1 crore

Aamir Khan starred as Mahavir Singh Phogat, an amateur wrestler who trains his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari to become world-class female wrestlers. In a recent interview with News24, Geeta and Babita were asked, “Out of ₹2,000 crore made from Dangal, the Phogat family received only ₹1 crore?” They responded, “Yes.”

Mary Kom- Mary Kom

FEES- ₹25 lakhs

Directed by Omung Kumar and co-produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film was based on the life of boxer Mary Kom who won the 2008 World Boxing Championships in Ningbo. Priyanka Chopra received acclaim upon it’s release, for bringing Mary’s story to life.

Sanjay Dutt- Sanju

FEES- ₹9 crores, plus share in profits

Sanjay Dutta’s life was such a roller-coaster ride, it prompted Rajkumar Hirani to make a film on it. Ranbir Kapoor played Sanjay right from a young age till present day, and received praise. Sanjay was reportedly paid ₹9 crores plus a share in the film’s profits for it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rishabh Suri
Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.Read More