Prahlad recalls Aamir's Rs 25 lakh demand for ad

Prahlad Kakkar

, a well-known director of advertising films, recently shared an interesting story about his early days in the advertising industry. He talked about a

commercial

he made featuring Aamir Khan, Mahima Chaudhary, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, back when Aamir Khan was a rising star.
When Kakkar was searching for an actor for the commercial, he considered Aamir Khan, who had gained fame with his first movie, ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ in 1988.

However, Aamir asked for a hefty fee of Rs 25 lakh to endorse the product. Surprisingly, Shah Rukh Khan, who was equally popular at the time, requested only Rs 6 lakh for the same ad. Despite the cost difference, Kakkar was inclined towards choosing Aamir Khan for the ad, and he ended up shooting a different commercial with Shah Rukh Khan.

At first, Aamir was hesitant about doing the commercial because it was commonly believed that actors turned to commercials when their film careers weren't doing well. However, Kakkar convinced Aamir by assuring him that the advertisement would enhance his reputation as an actor. He told Amir that It can make him bigger as an actor. Ultimately, Aamir Khan agreed to do the commercial but stuck to his demand for a fee of Rs 25 lakhs.

This particular commercial also featured Mahima Chaudhary and Aishwarya Rai. Aishwarya's performance in a single shot within the ad quickly made her very popular. People were so curious about her character in the commercial that Kakkar received numerous phone calls asking about ‘Sanju,’ which was Aishwarya's character in the ad. This unexpectedly catapulted Aishwarya to fame, and she became a well-known figure overnight.