Actor Imran Khan is gearing up for his big-screen comeback with the upcoming film Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, set to release in theatres on January 16, 2026. In a candid conversation on Samdish’s podcast, Imran spoke about Bollywood’s casting process, the massive pay cheques of A-list stars, and his own journey in the industry.
Imran revealed that he was not the first choice for the 2013 film Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola. The role was originally offered to Ajay Devgn, who eventually exited during the pre-production stage, prompting director Vishal Bhardwaj to cast Imran instead.
He claimed that he wasn’t selected purely for his acting suitability, but because his casting helped secure the film’s budget. “The approach to casting is all based on budget, even now. It has nothing to do with the actor. Nobody cares whether you’re the right actor for the role. They’re just thinking, ‘How much money can I get with him?’ That’s how I ended up being cast in Matru. On my back, they could get an X amount of money,” Imran said.
When asked about the pay scale of Bollywood A-listers, Imran didn’t hold back. “If you’re an A-lister in theatrical films today, you’re not earning less than ₹30 crore per film. Anyone my age — Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor — they are not earning less than ₹30 crore. I would be surprised if any of them are earning less than that,” he stated.
Imran also stressed the staggering pay gap between lead actors and the rest of the cast and crew, noting that at some point, it simply “won’t make sense” to pay one person such an enormous amount compared to everyone else working on the film.
On the work front, Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos is directed by Vir Das and Kavi Shastri and stars Vir Das, Amit Bhandari, Mithila Palkar, and Sharib Hashmi. Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan will make a special appearance in the film.
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