Ruling the marquee in the 80s and 90s, the evergreen Juhi Chawla turns a year older today. The ‘Darr’ actress, who had in her long career, stuck to the ‘miss goody two shoes’ type of role, had done a negative part in Gulaab Gang (2014). The movie also starred Madhuri Dixit in second lead.
In an old interview to PTI, the actress said that she thought Soumik Sen had lost his mind when he offered the actress her career’s first negative role.
“The first time I heard the role I thought he (Soumik Sen) has gone insane. Gradually, I got convinced after he explained it further. I thought it would be wonderful if I could do it,” Juhi said.
The director joked that he had to show his musical side to the actress in order to convince her.
Casting Juhi as the antagonist of the film was Soumik’s effort to break the mould.
“I had cast Madhuri as the hero of the film as it was in my mind from before but while choosing a villain I thought it must be as big if not bigger,” Soumik had said.
“I was also trying to break the mould as Charlie Chaplin, Amol Palekar have done earlier and therefore Juhi was taken as the villain for the film,” he added.
When asked why he didn’t give credit to Sampat Pal, who is thought to be an inspiration for the movie, Soumik said that his story is a complete work of fiction and has no connection whatsoever with reality.
While on Juhi, in the 90s, Indian actors first earned over Rs 1 crore per film, leading to a surge in endorsements and wealth. Many stars became millionaires by establishing successful businesses. Consequently, it’s no surprise that India’s richest actress ranks among the world’s top 10 wealthiest actresses, despite not having a single hit film in the last decade.
Juhi Chawla is celebrated as the richest actress in India. According to the Hurun Rich List of 2024, her wealth ranks just behind that of her friend and business partner Shah Rukh Khan among the richest Indian actors. With a net worth of Rs 4,600 crore, Juhi’s fortune significantly hugely surpasses that of her peers and juniors.
In simple terms, if you combined the net worth of the five richest Indian actresses after Juhi, it would still be less than her wealth. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan holds the second spot, with a net worth exceeding $100 million (approximately Rs 850 crore). Priyanka Chopra follows in third, boasting a wealth of Rs 650 crore from her brands, film production company, and Hollywood projects. Rounding out the top five are current stars Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone, both of whom have significant business ventures.
While Juhi Chawla’s wealth originates from her film career, it’s only part of the story. Although she was a leading star in the 90s, her last box office hit was in 2009 with Luck By Chance. The majority of her fortune comes from her business ventures, particularly her significant role in the
Red Chillies Group
. As a co-founder, Juhi co-produces films and co-owns several cricket teams, including the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders. Additionally, she has a substantial real estate portfolio and various investments alongside her millionaire businessman husband, Jay Mehta.
