Sneha Mahadevan (BOMBAY TIMES; April 7, 2015)

Salman Khan is playing ‘Prem’ — the quintessential Rajshri hero — once again in Sooraj Barjayta’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP). The actor and the director’s association goes back over two decades. Sooraj and Salman were both newcomers when they worked together for the first time in Maine Pyaar Kiya. However, the dynamics have changed since. Salman is currently a huge star, while Sooraj has not had much commercial success. However that has not changed the affection and respect the actor has for the director.

It is learnt that Salman has waived off his fee for the PRDP. The actor has a 500-crore deal with Star India, and they hold the rights to screening all his films exclusively on the channel. Sooraj had to sell the satellite rights of PRDP at fixed price to the channel. To make up for this, Salman is said to have waived off his fee.

An industry insider explains, “Anybody working with Salman has to also agree to the deal he has with the channel as they hold the exclusive rights to screen his films until 2017. Sooraj and Salman were reuniting after a 15-year gap, so Salman is making sure his deal with the channel does not get in the way of the film. They discussed this and Sooraj has been very accomodating about the same. If Salman didn’t have the deal, the satellite rights of PRDP could have probably fetched the director-producer a higher price and Salman is aware of this. To make up for it, in his own way, he decided to not charge a single penny. He has waived off his entire fee as he wants the film to make some profit at the box-office.”

The film has Salman in a double role and also stars Sonam Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh. It will release on November 11 and is a typical family entertainer. Sooraj remained unavailable for a comment.