Imran Khan opens up about his unusual journey with money, from modest beginnings to earning ₹7–12 crore after ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’. The actor shares candid insights on sudden fame, financial highs, and the disconnect that came with overnight success.
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Bollywood actor Imran Khan who captured hearts with debut in ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’ recently got candid about his unusual relationship with money. In a conversation on Samdish’s podcast, Imran shared sudden financial highs of stardom and disconnect he felt despite earning big sums at a young age.
When asked about his finances, Imran described his connection with money as “strange.” While many assume that being related to superstar Aamir Khan meant he grew up rich, Imran clarified it wasn’t that simple.
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“My uncle is Aamir Khan, who is a movie star, but he’s my mother’s cousin. That’s not my money; it wasn’t coming to me,” he explained.
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He added that he was raised by his mother and stepfather, who was also an actor, but not a superstar. “In the 80s and 90s, we were asset-rich but cash-poor. My pocket money was lower than many of my friends. I wasn’t deprived, but I wasn’t rolling in money either,” Imran shared.
Real shift came after ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’ hit the screens. Overnight, Imran went from modest paychecks to earning crores.
“When my first film was released and became a hit, I went from being paid nothing to being paid ₹7-10 crore at the age of 25,” he recalled.
He also reflected on his early film offers: “The first film was ‘Jaane Tu’, which was my home production. The second was ‘Kidnapp’, where they barely wanted me and offered ₹5 lakh. Then the next film offered ₹7-8 crore. I thought, ‘Did my acting really grow that much from my previous film?’”
By 27 or 28, Imran admitted he had more money than he ever imagined. “I wasn’t hungry for money, and my friends were earning nowhere near me. It created a sense of disconnect,” he said. The actor revealed that his biggest paycheck ever was ₹12 crore.
Imran made his debut in 2008 with ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’, produced by Aamir Khan. He quickly became a sensation and went on to star in films like ‘Luck’, ‘I Hate Luv Storys’, ‘Break Ke Baad’, ‘Delhi Belly’, ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, and ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’.
While many of these films were loved by fans, none became massive blockbusters. In 2015, he featured in ‘Katti Batti’ before taking a break from films.
Now, Imran is all set to return to the big screen with ‘Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos’, a comedy-drama directed by Vir Das. The film is produced by Aamir Khan Productions and features Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Sharib Hashmi, and others, with Aamir Khan making a cameo. Fans can look forward to its release on January 16, 2026.
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