Veteran Bollywood star Anupam Kher took part in a session titled Giving Up Is Not a Choice at the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa on Sunday. Throughout the discussion, he motivated attendees by sharing defining moments from his life and career, illustrating how he transformed setbacks into stepping stones. One such anecdote involved his reaction to the fee he was offered after the success of his 2002 sports comedy Bend It Like Beckham. Although the film turned into a commercial triumph, producer Deepak Nayar approached him for their next collaboration with the exact same remuneration — something Anupam was unwilling to accept.Recounting the incident, Anupam said, “I did Bend It Like Beckham for 5000 pounds. Its producer was going to make another film. He came to meet me at a hotel’s coffee shop and asked how much money I wanted for the role. He said he will offer the same amount I got for the previous one. I questioned him, ‘You made 100 million from that film, why will you give me only that much money?’”
When the producer appeared reluctant, Anupam decided to make a point in a rather dramatic fashion. “The coffee shop was full of people at 10 am in the morning. I stood up on the table instantly and shouted, ‘Hello friends. This guy is Deepak Nayar. He gave me 5000 pounds for Bend It Like Beckham, but now he doesn’t want to give me full money for another film.’”He went on to add, “He asked me to sit, but I kept on going, ‘Paise deraha hai ki nahi? (Will you give the money I ask for?)’ He agreed, asked me to sit and then I sat down. Because giving up is not a choice.”
