Anil Kapoor’s 17-year-old film still pays him over Rs 3 lakh: Actor reveals total amount he has earned so far

Even after nearly two decades since its release, the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire continues to bring financial rewards for actor Anil Kapoor. The veteran star recently shared that he still receives payments connected to the film, and one such cheque arrived just a day before he spoke about it publicly.

Kapoor opened up about this during a session at the India Today Conclave 2026, where he reflected on the long-lasting impact of the project on both his career and his earnings. The revelation caught many by surprise because the film released almost 17 years ago.

Speaking during the session titled The Ageless Revel: Rewriting the Rules of Stardom, Kapoor said he had received another payment linked to the film very recently.


“I must share this with you. It's a very emotional moment. It's been more than a decade and a half, and yesterday, again, I got a pay cheque for Slumdog Millionaire."

He then explained the amount he received and how much the film has paid him overall so far.

“Yesterday, it was 3,000 pounds. I pay all my taxes so I can say this. I am going to get almost half a million pounds. So, I am a millionaire. I didn't ask for it. They gave it themselves."

The amount he mentioned — 3,000 pounds — roughly converts to more than Rs 3 lakh. According to the actor, the total payments he expects from the film over time will reach nearly half a million pounds.

Why Anil Kapoor agreed to do the film

Interestingly, Kapoor revealed that money was not the reason he signed the project in the first place. The actor said the filmmakers had actually told him they could not afford his usual fee. Despite that, he decided to join the film because he wanted the experience of working with an international team.

“I did that movie to educate myself. I want to learn, and that's how I stay relevant.” He also recalled how he reacted when the team said they could not pay his usual fee. “They said they can’t afford me. I was like, ‘Did I ask for the money?’ I said, ‘I’ll do it for free.’ This is what they have done themselves.”

The actor indicated that the royalty-style payments he continues to receive were something the producers arranged on their own.

Directed by Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire was loosely based on the novel Q & A written by Vikas Swarup.

The film followed the story of Jamal Malik, played by Dev Patel, a young man from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Kapoor portrayed the game show host Prem Kumar, while the late Irrfan Khan appeared as the police officer questioning Jamal. Freida Pinto played Latika, the woman Jamal loves.

The film went on to become a major global hit. At the Academy Awards 2009, it received 10 nominations and won 8 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Anil Kapoor’s upcoming work

On the work front, Kapoor was recently seen in Subedaar, an action drama directed by Suresh Triveni. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 5 and also features Radhikka Madan, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik and Mona Singh.

He is also set to appear next in Alpha, directed by Shiv Rawail. The film features Alia Bhatt, Sharvari Wagh and Bobby Deol in key roles and is expected to release later this year.