Prahlad Kakkar recalls tough casting choice: "Aamir quoted Rs. 17 Lakhs, Shah Rukh needed Rs. 6 Lakhs for Mannat"
In a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani, veteran ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar looked back at a moment in his career when he had to make a difficult choice between Bollywood superstars Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for an advertisement. Kakkar revealed that although Shah Rukh had quoted a lower fee of Rs. 6 lakhs an amount he reportedly needed to help fund the purchase of his now-iconic Mumbai bungalow, Mannat—it was Aamir who eventually bagged the role after months of negotiation. Why Aamir Khan Was Chosen Over Shah Rukh Khan Recalling the incident, Kakkar said, “Aamir was charging around Rs. 17 lakhs, while Shah Rukh was only asking for Rs. 6 lakhs. The reason Shah Rukh quoted that price was because he was short of Rs. 6 lakhs to buy his house, Mannat. He told me, ‘Give me Rs. 6 lakhs, and I’ll do the ad.’ But I felt he wasn’t right for the film.” According to Kakkar, his priority wasn’t the fee, but finding the right fit for the ad’s narrative. “I needed someone who had the image ...