Sara Ali Khan has been the talk of the town all week, giving back-to-back OTT releases with Murder Mubarak streaming on Netflix and Ae Watan Mere Watan on Prime Video. Both these outings have received mixed reviews from audiences across the board, while some have specifically found the actress’s acting skills and dialogue delivery sub-par.
Netizens on social media especially have called her out for being incapable of carrying a movie on her shoulders, referring to her role in Ae Watan Mere Watan, which is based on the life of Usha Mehta, a brave young girl who starts an underground radio station to spread the message of unity during India’s struggle for independence.
Despite the criticism, it is interesting to note that her paychecks have only become fatter over the years. She is said to have received a whopping salary when she debuted in 2018 with Kedarnath. It was so huge that both her co-star, Sushant Kumar Rajput, and the film’s director, Abhishek Kapoor, had to take a pay cut.
In the same year, Sara Ali Khan’s second film, Simmba, was released. After Kedarnath, she was lauded for her performance in both these films, with many even hailing her as the nation’s sweetheart at the time. For the film, she was paid 50 lakhs after she essentially secured the role for herself by directly approaching the director and expressing her interest in working. Rohit Shetty was impressed by Sara’s modest and down-to-earth demeanor, as she actively sought opportunities despite her illustrious background.
Sara Ali Khan made her initial leap in compensation when she began demanding between 2.5 crore to 3 crore for her subsequent film projects, which consisted of titles like Coolie No. 1 and Atrangi Re. Her performance in Atrangi Re received critical acclaim, and her earnings have only been experiencing a significant surge.
As per a recent report, the actress now commands a fee ranging from 5 to 7 crore. This suggests that she might have been compensated within this sum for her role in Ae Watan Mere Watan. This marks a remarkable growth of 900-1300% from her earnings in Simmba to her current projects!