Bollywood actor Imran Khan made his Hindi film debut with Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and became an overnight sensation. In a recent conversation with Samdish on his podcast, the actor spoke candidly about his relationship with money, reflecting on his upbringing and the financial highs that accompanied his early stardom.
Imran Hashmi reveals how his debut film changed everything for him. Imran Khan on his strange relationship with money
When asked about his relationship with money, Imran described it as “strange”. He added that while there is a perception that he grew up wealthy, that was not entirely true. “My uncle is Aamir Khan, who is a movie star, but he’s my mother’s cousin. That’s not my money; that’s not coming to me,” he said.
Imran revealed that he grew up with his mother and stepfather, who was a working actor. “In the 80s and 90s, when I was a youngster, we were asset-rich but cash-poor. My pocket money was lower than that of a lot of my friends. I was not money-deprived, but I wasn’t rolling in money either,” he shared.
Speaking about the sudden shift after his debut film’s success, Imran said, “When my first film was released and became a hit overnight, I went from being paid nothing to being paid multiple crores at the age of 25. Suddenly, you are being paid ₹7–10 crore.”
By the time Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na was released, Imran had already completed three films. “The first film was Jaane Tu, which was my home production. The second was Kidnapp, where they didn’t want me and said, ‘Yeh le ₹5 lakh.’ For the next film, I got ₹7–8 crore. I suddenly thought to myself, ‘Did my acting really grow that much from my previous film?’” he recalled.
By the time he was 27 or 28 years old, Imran admitted that he had more money than he ever imagined he would. “I was not hungry for money, and my friends were not earning anywhere close to what I was. That created a sense of disconnect,” he said. In the same conversation, the actor also revealed that the biggest pay cheque of his career was ₹12 crore.
Imran Khan’s career
Imran made his Bollywood debut as a leading actor in 2008 with Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, produced by his uncle Aamir Khan. He became a sensation overnight and went on to star in films such as Luck, I Hate Luv Storys, Break Ke Baad, Delhi Belly, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. However, none of these films emerged as major blockbusters. In 2015, he featured in Katti Batti and subsequently took a break from films.
Imran is now set to return to the big screen with the comedy-drama Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos. Helmed by Vir Das, the film is backed by Aamir Khan Productions and also stars Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Sharib Hashmi and others in key roles. Aamir Khan will also make a cameo appearance. The film is slated for release on January 16, 2026.