Salman Khan was paid Rs.5 crore more than Govinda for 'Partner', reveals writer Alok Upadhyay

In 2007, Bollywood gave us one of its most-loved comedy films – 'Partner'. Starring Salman Khan, Govinda, Katrina Kaif and Lara Dutta, the film had everything – laughs, romance, music, and of course, the unbeatable bromance between Salman and Govinda.

Directed by David Dhawan, 'Partner' wasn’t just a hit at the box office, but also entertained millions. What happened behind the scenes was just as entertaining. Now, writer Alok Upadhyay has spilled the beans on one particularly funny moment during the shoot of the song 'Soni De Nakhre' – and it’s all about two superstars, a choreographer obsessed with legs, and a director who wasn’t having any of it.


Salman and Govinda charged THIS amount for ‘Partner’
By the time 'Partner' rolled around, both Salman Khan and Govinda were huge names in the industry. So it’s no surprise that they charged a combined Rs 15 crore for the film, with Salman reportedly getting Rs 10 crore and Govinda Rs 5 crore.

While speaking to the YouTube channel Lightscameramasti, writer Alok Upadhyay praised director David Dhawan’s sharp eye for detail and his control over the entire shoot. Alok said, “He keeps his eyes on everyone simultaneously while shooting and already knows how he’ll edit the scene.”

He also added that David Dhawan’s understanding of commercial cinema was so strong, he could get any actor to do exactly what he wanted. But things didn’t always go smoothly, especially during the shoot of the chartbuster song 'Soni De Nakhre'.
“15 crore ke actor ki taange dikhaai ja rahi hain”
Alok recalled how Dhawan wasn’t happy when the choreographer kept shooting long shots focusing on the stars' legs. "David saahab mere paas bethe bolte hain ke ek actor 10 crore le raha hai aur ek 5 crore le raha hai. 15 crore ke actor ki taange dikhaai ja rahi hain, koi matlab to hai nahi." (David was basically saying, “One actor has charged Rs 10 crore, the other Rs 5 crore, and we’re just showing their legs? What’s the point?”)

That’s when the filmmaker decided to take matters into his own hands and told the choreographer to stop wasting time with decorative shots. He wanted the focus to be on the stars, where it belonged. “Jo 15 crore ke 2 khade hain inka close maar,” David reportedly told the crew. (Get those close-ups of the two leading men, not their knees!). Upadhyay went on to share that David quickly reworked the shot and simply told the actors to do their thing, and the result? One of the most loved dance numbers!