Mumbai: It’s been three-and-a-half decades since the musical blockbuster ‘Aashiqui’ left cash registers ringing at the box office, but lead actress Anu Aggarwal is yet to receive full payment for the 1990 film.
Yes, you read it right. Anu shared in a recent interview with Pinkvilla that she is yet to receive 40% of her dues.
However, the ‘Aashiqui’ actress said she doesn’t care about it anymore and has stopped reaching out to the filmmakers for her long overdue money.
“Mujhe aaj tak Aashiqui ke poore paise nahi miley (Till today I have not received my full remuneration)! I have only been paid 60% of the full money. They still owe me the 40%,” the actress claimed.
Asked if she had asked for her dues, she added, “No, it’s okay. Theek hain yaar (It’s ok). I earned a lot in so many… I earned much more in modelling. I became a brand ambassador. I am one of India’s first actress brand ambassador. Uss time actor nahi hote the, sirf cricket ke hi hote the. So theek hai yaar! Ye meri gift hain unko (That time only cricketers were brand ambassadors. So it’s okay, it’s my gift to them).”
Even as casting couch remains a highly debated topic in the film industry, Anu questioned the general silence around it.
“Kya baat kar rahe ho aap? Why are we pretending? Everywhere there’s casting couch. Since life has started, there’s man and woman, and there are two energies, male and female, their union is something that everybody wants. That’s what’s entire history of Earth,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience in the industry, Anu said she maintained a professional relationship with all her directors.
“There was no ‘hanky-panky’,” she confirmed, adding that she did not have any ‘casting couch’ experience.
Post the success of ‘Aashiqui’, Anu bagged several Bollywood films and became a household name.
Unfortunately, the actress couldn’t enjoy fame for a long time as she had a serious car accident in 1999, which made her quit Bollywood.
