In a wide-ranging conversation on Samdish Bhatia's podcast, Khan broke down the financial mechanics of Bollywood casting, using his own casting in Vishal Bhardwaj's Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013) as a prime example.
Budget-Driven Casting vs. Creative Suitability
Khan asserted that casting in mainstream Indian cinema rarely centers around whether an actor is right for a specific role. Instead, studios evaluate actors based on the capital they can pull from financiers and distributors:
“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 Khan
The Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola Context: Khan revealed that Ajay Devgn was originally attached to play the rural, Haryanvi protagonist. When Devgn exited during pre-production, director Vishal Bhardwaj cast Khan—not because he fit the character of a Haryanvi villager, but because his box-office track record at the time allowed the production to secure the required budget.
No Backlash Fear: Addressing subsequent online discussion regarding his comments on Bhardwaj, Khan stood by his statement, clarifying that he shared the experience to demonstrate how the industry operates without malice: "I used myself as an example to discuss the way projects are cast and greenlit in the industry."
Disparity in A-Lister Pay & Crew Compensation
Khan also highlighted the pay structures in contemporary Hindi cinema, pointing out the vast income gap between male A-list stars and the rest of the cast and crew:
A-Lister Benchmarks: He noted that current A-list theatrical stars—including contemporaries like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor—routinely command a minimum of ₹30 crore per film.
Budget Imbalance: Khan questioned the sustainability of allocating such massive fractions of a film's overall budget to single lead actors while technical departments, writers, and supporting actors receive disproportionately smaller allocations.
Upcoming Projects & Return to the Screen Following a multi-year hiatus, Imran Khan is preparing for his return to acting with a selectively curated slate:
Trade Verdict:
Imran Khan’s observations reflect ongoing discussions in the film trade regarding ballooning star fees, production economics, and greenlighting strategies. As studios navigate shifting box-office dynamics, his commentary underscores a growing call for balanced budgeting that prioritizes script development, production value, and equitable pay across all creative departments.
