Actress Hema Malini dismisses claims that she was once the highest-paid female actor in the industry, according to statements reported by NDTV. She says that instead of being offered top payment, she and other artists accepted whatever remuneration was provided at the time. Malini characterizes the payment as small and describes the acceptance of the amounts as something close to “bheeksha” (alms), adding that “whatever little envelope they gave us” was taken without protest.
Her remarks address circulating narratives about past pay scales in the film industry, particularly in relation to female actors and their market value during earlier decades. Malini’s comments do not cite specific figures, contracts, or comparisons to contemporaries, but they directly refute the claim that her earnings placed her at the top among female performers. The statement reflects her perspective on how payment was handled historically, focusing on acceptance of limited envelopes rather than on being paid at premium levels.
