In the world of Bollywood, few actors are as open about their financial journey as Akshay Kumar. While he is now known as one of the industry’s highest-paid superstars, often commanding massive fees for his projects, the actor recently took a trip down memory lane to a time when his earnings were calculated by the day.
During a candid conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, Akshay Kumar opened up about the making of the 2002 cult classic Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani. While the film is often remembered today for its eccentric visual effects and massive ensemble cast, for Akshay, it was a crucial stepping stone toward achieving a personal milestone: buying his first major flat in Mumbai.
Unlike the modern era where lead actors often sign multi-crore contracts or profit-sharing deals, Akshay revealed that back then, he often worked on a “per-day” payment structure.
“At that time, I used to get a pretty good amount; I would earn around ₹8 to ₹9 lakh per day,” the actor shared. He admitted that while the film featured nearly every major star of that era—including Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, and Sonu Nigam—his own role was initially meant to be quite brief.
In a hilarious behind-the-scenes anecdote, Akshay explained how his character, who was supposed to die early in the film at the hands of the “snake-man” played by Armaan Kohli, ended up surviving much longer. The reason? Akshay simply wanted more work days to finish paying for his home.
As the story goes, Akshay’s character had already been “killed off,” and he was technically finished with the shoot. However, he noticed that the production was facing a scheduling conflict with another actor who was stuck abroad. Seizing the opportunity, Akshay approached director Rajkumar Kohli with a cheeky proposition.
“I went to the director and said, ‘Sir, I’m done, but you seem stressed. I heard an actor is unavailable. Should I come back from the dead?'” Akshay recalled with a laugh.
The director initially reminded him that his character was already dead, but after a few minutes of thought, he realized he could use Akshay to fill the gap. Within moments, the script was tweaked: Akshay’s character wasn’t actually dead, but merely in a coma.
This creative pivot allowed Akshay to shoot for five additional days, primarily for fight sequences. At a rate of nearly ₹9 lakh per day, those extra shifts added roughly ₹45 lakh to his paycheck—a significant sum in the early 2000s.
“I got paid for those extra five days, and that’s how my role in Jaani Dushman became much bigger than it was supposed to be,” he said.
Though Jaani Dushman was heavily panned by critics and struggled at the box office upon its release, it has found a second life on the internet as a “so bad, it’s good” masterpiece. For Akshay, however, the film remains a fond memory of his hardworking days in the industry.
The actor is currently basking in the success of his latest release, Bhooth Bangla, which reunited him with director Priyadarshan. While his current market value is worlds away from his 2002 daily rate, his story serves as a grounded reminder of the hustle that built his “Khiladi” legacy. To know
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