Veteran actor Javed Sheikh revealed that he initially refused to accept a fee for his role in the Indian film Om Shanti Om, calling it an honour to work alongside Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. However, Sheikh revealed, filmmaker Farah Khan and Shah Rukh insisted on paying him.
In an interview, Sheikh reflected on playing Shah Rukh's father in the 2007 blockbuster, recalling how welcomed and appreciated he had felt throughout his time on set. "We don’t stay in touch, but we had a great friendship when I was there. The time I spent with Shah Rukh during Om Shanti Om was excellent, superb," the actor said.
Discussing salary negotiations, Sheikh said he never intended to charge for his work on the film. He stated, "Farah Khan wanted me to play Shah Rukh's father and they started discussing my fee. I said, 'Money? I won’t take it.' They said that was impossible." The actor added, "I told them it was such a big honour that, out of everyone in India, they had chosen a Pakistani actor to play Shah Rukh Khan’s father. Money wasn’t important."
Sheikh shared that he eventually offered to accept a symbolic payment, recalling that he had said he would take one rupee. However, he noted, "When Farah and Shah Rukh found out, they refused. They wanted to return the goodwill, so they gave me a very good deal."
The actor also praised Shah Rukh for the respect and care he showed him on set. "He also took so much care of me. That was unbelievable," Sheikh said.
As the conversation shifted towards the actor's early struggles in the entertainment industry, Sheikh revealed that it took him nearly a decade to establish himself despite his passion for acting. He stated, "When I became a hero, my family was happy, but my father was very strict. I used to run from school to Radio Pakistan because I loved performing. Once I got a striped shirt from somewhere in Karachi and when my father saw it, he ripped it apart and said, 'You want to be a hero?'"
Sheikh revealed that his father's support often depended on the success of his films. "When I became a hero, he hugged me and said, 'Wow, my son is a hero.' Then if my film flopped, he would tell me to leave this profession and do something else." To reassure his father, the actor took on other jobs, including a clerical one, while he continued to pursue acting. "I thought I would follow my passion on the side," he stated.
