During the casting for the film ‘Joshilaay,’ Sridevi was set to star opposite Sunny Deol. Kapoor, wanting his brother to have a top actress as his co-star, met with Sridevi in Mumbai. Her mother initially quoted INR 10 lakhs for Sridevi’s fee. Kapoor, having done his research and knowing Sridevi’s last signed film was for INR 8.5 lakhs, decided to offer INR 11 lakhs. This move initially surprised Sridevi’s mother, who froze for a moment. Kapoor then increased his offer to INR 11 lakhs, and further negotiated the staff expenses from INR 30,000 to INR 50,000.

Kapoor explained that this negotiation was a calculated step to build a strong professional bond. He even approached Yash Chopra to ensure Sridevi signed for ‘Chandni’ at INR 15 lakhs. He continued this practice for subsequent films, negotiating higher fees for Sridevi with the condition of increasing her remuneration for future projects, ultimately leading to her INR 25 lakhs fee for ‘Khuda Gawah.’

Sridevi remains one of India’s most celebrated and iconic actresses. Her untimely passing in Dubai in 2018 at the age of 54 left a void in the film industry. Her death, caused by accidental drowning complicated by heart failure, was a profound shock to her fans and colleagues worldwide.

He explained that when Sridevi’s mother, who managed her professional affairs, initially asked for INR 10 lakhs for a film, Kapoor countered with INR 11 lakhs. He was keen to have his brother paired with a top actress, and Sridevi was a prime choice. His first meeting with Sridevi took place in Mumbai, where she indicated her mother would handle the financial discussions.

Kapoor then traveled to Chennai to meet Sridevi’s mother at their bungalow. Despite a language barrier, Kapoor managed to communicate effectively. He understood that her mention of ’10 rupees’ actually referred to 10 lakhs. Having researched Sridevi’s recent contract of INR 8.5 lakhs, Kapoor initially planned to offer INR 9 lakhs. When her mother stated ’10 rupees,’ Kapoor hesitated before increasing his offer to INR 11 lakhs. This surprised her, and after a pause, she revealed an additional charge of INR 30,000 for staff. Kapoor promptly agreed to INR 50,000, thus finalizing the deal for 11 lakhs, but with a crucial condition for future projects.

For their next collaboration, Sridevi’s mother asked for INR 15 lakhs. Kapoor negotiated this with Yash Chopra, ensuring Sridevi was signed for ‘Chandni’ at the requested amount, which pleased them. On a subsequent meeting for another film, Kapoor recalled Sridevi’s mother quoting INR 14 lakhs for him. He then proposed INR 16 lakhs but stipulated that for the *next* film, her fee would be INR 25 lakhs. This led to Sridevi’s impressive INR 25 lakh remuneration for the film ‘Khuda Gawah’.