A hit film can change an actor’s career overnight, but in Bollywood, it doesn’t always change their bank balance for life.
Actor R Madhavan has once again flagged a key difference between Hindi cinema and Hollywood — the absence of a residual or royalty system. Speaking in an old interview that has resurfaced, Madhavan said that unlike Hollywood where actors keep earning from a film’s success for years, Bollywood offers only a one-time paycheck.
Citing his own career, the actor said if he had worked under a Hollywood-style model, just three of his biggest films would have been enough to secure his family for generations. “If I was a Hollywood actor, and I had the kind of hits I’ve had, I wouldn’t think twice before taking risks. Two or three films — maybe 3 Idiots, Rang De Basanti, and Tanu Weds Manu — would be enough to take care of future generations if they live sensibly,” Madhavan said during a conversation with India TV Showbiz’s YouTube channel.
He was responding to a question about Shah Rukh Khan turning producer early in his career. Madhavan noted that such business decisions work better for A-listers who already command massive fees. “One cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach. If you’re commanding double-digit salaries, the rules are different because you’ve already secured your future,” he said.
The Rocketry actor also spoke about why many actors keep saying yes to big commercial projects even when they want to do different cinema. According to him, the reason is simple — financial insecurity.
“Most actors get used to a certain lifestyle. But there’s no pension in this industry. So you start thinking, ‘paise toh lelo, pata nahi kal milega ke nahi milega’. You take the money because you don’t know if another offer will come tomorrow,” he explained.
Madhavan further criticised the industry’s payment culture, alleging that delayed and incomplete payments are common. However, few actors fight it legally because court cases take too much time and money. “The judiciary has to support the contracts that we sign,” he added.
He drew an example from veteran actor Amrish Puri, saying the late star was reportedly still receiving royalty cheques for his role in a Steven Spielberg film decades later. “That’s the kind of security a residual system gives you. The moment residuals are possible in India, I’m sure everybody would want that. Then you can choose the kind of work you want without worrying about money,” Madhavan said.
The actor’s remarks highlight a long-standing demand in Bollywood for a revenue-sharing or royalty model similar to Hollywood and OTT platforms, where creators and actors continue to earn based on a project’s performance.
