Boney Kapoor, the renowned producer and late husband of the legendary Sridevi, has revealed the unique negotiation process that marked the beginning of their professional and personal journey. A popular clip showcases Kapoor’s storytelling prowess as he recounts securing Sridevi for his films.
During the casting for ‘Joshilaay,’ Kapoor had a dual objective: to pair Sridevi with Sunny Deol and to have his brother star opposite another leading actress. When Sridevi’s mother quoted INR 10 lakhs as her daughter’s fee, Kapoor, aiming for a decisive offer, proposed INR 11 lakhs. His initial meeting with Sridevi in Mumbai was brief, with her deferring financial talks to her mother.
The producer then traveled to Chennai to meet Sridevi’s mother. He humorously described understanding her Hindi-averse communication through gestures. Her reference to ’10 rupees’ was understood to mean 10 lakhs. Kapoor, having learned that Sridevi’s last signed film was for INR 8.5 lakhs, initially considered offering INR 9 lakhs. However, he decided to go higher, offering INR 11 lakhs. This bold move surprised her, and after she mentioned an additional INR 30,000 for staff, Kapoor agreed to INR 50,000, completing the 11 lakh deal. A key condition was set for future negotiations.
This pattern of exceeding expectations continued. For a subsequent film, the fee rose to INR 15 lakhs, which Kapoor managed by arranging for her to sign ‘Chandni.’ When, for the next project, Sridevi’s mother offered him a ‘discount’ of INR 14 lakhs, Kapoor countered with INR 16 lakhs, but with a forward-looking condition. He stipulated that her fee for the *following* film would be INR 25 lakhs. This strategic foresight proved successful, as Sridevi eventually earned INR 25 lakhs for her role in ‘Khuda Gawah’, highlighting Kapoor’s acumen in building Sridevi’s market value.