Boney Kapoor, husband of the late iconic actress Sridevi, has shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about how he managed her early professional engagements. A viral clip reveals Kapoor’s clever negotiation tactics with Sridevi’s mother, which laid the groundwork for their eventual personal relationship.
Kapoor recounted a specific instance during the casting of ‘Joshilaay,’ where Sridevi was slated to act opposite Sunny Deol. He aimed to secure a top actress for his brother as well. When Sridevi’s mother named her price at INR 10 lakhs, Kapoor, wanting to make a strong impression and secure her services, decided to offer INR 11 lakhs instead. He met Sridevi in Mumbai, and she directed him to her mother for all professional discussions.
The producer then flew to Chennai to meet Sridevi’s mother. He described how, despite not sharing a common language, he was able to understand her through gestures. Her mention of ’10 rupees’ was clearly a coded way of stating 10 lakhs. Kapoor, having done his homework on her previous film fee of INR 8.5 lakhs, was prepared to offer INR 9 lakhs. However, he decided to raise it to INR 11 lakhs, causing her a moment of surprise. When she then mentioned additional staff costs, Kapoor readily agreed to a higher figure, effectively securing Sridevi for 11 lakhs with an eye on future collaborations.
This negotiation strategy continued. For a subsequent film, the asking price was INR 15 lakhs. Kapoor facilitated this by connecting with Yash Chopra for the film ‘Chandni.’ The following year, when Sridevi’s mother proposed a fee of INR 14 lakhs for him, Kapoor offered INR 16 lakhs but included a crucial condition: Sridevi’s next film would command INR 25 lakhs. This foresight paid off, as Sridevi was later paid a significant INR 25 lakhs for ‘Khuda Gawah’, showcasing Kapoor’s astute business sense in managing his wife’s career.