Ranbir Kapoor and Aamir Khan are undoubtedly among Bollywood’s biggest and most celebrated stars, but their approach to money is refreshingly unconventional.
According to Aamir Khan’s longtime chartered accountant Bimal Parekh, neither actor is particularly concerned with financial intricacies. In a candid interview, Parekh shared, “They don’t understand money,” speaking about Aamir and Ranbir. He went on to say, “Katrina Kaif is the sharpest. She takes an interest. Aamir and Ranbir are not that bothered! Then Ritesh Sidhwani and Krishna DK (of Raj-DK director duo) are sharp as well, they understand money.”
Parekh also recounted how Aamir’s revolutionary no-upfront-fee model came into being. It was Parekh who initially proposed this strategy, which would see the actor forgo traditional upfront charges in favor of profit-sharing. He explained, “We were the first guys who came with the full backend formula in the case of Aamir Khan. No upfront fee, but profit sharing. This way, Laal Singh Chadha, the studio (Viacom 18) still made money, while Aamir made little.”
The story was notably different with Dangal, where Aamir reportedly earned significantly under the same model. Parekh recalled, “But in Dangal, Aamir made money. We started doing this at a time when everyone would charge an upfront fee. Aamir had casually revealed to me how he charges lower fees, because he doesn’t want his producers to lose money. I was startled and told him a better alternative was to not charge at all but to take a backend.”
This unique financial approach not only reflects Aamir’s thoughtful stance towards the industry but also highlights how both he and Ranbir Kapoor maintain a surprisingly relaxed relationship with their earnings—standing in stark contrast to some of their more financially savvy contemporaries.
