Actor Anil Kapoor continues to get paid for his role in the 2008 Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. He said this while speaking on the first day of India Today Conclave 2026 held at Taj Palace, New Delhi.

During a session titled The Ageless Revel: Rewriting the Rules of StardomThe 69-year-old noted the film’s lasting impact on his career.

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Royalties from Slumdog Millionaire

Speaking at the conclave, Anil said, “Let me 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 check for Slumdog Millionaire.”

When asked about the amount involved, he said, “Yesterday, it was 3,000 pounds. I pay all my taxes so I can say that. I’m going to get about half a million pounds. So, I’m a millionaire. I didn’t ask for it. They gave it to me.”

The veteran actor shares his reason for signing director Danny Boyle’s film. He said, “I did that film to educate myself. I want to learn and that’s how I stay relevant.”

The 69-year-old actor said that the team initially told him that they could not afford his fees, so they offered to do the film for free. “They said they couldn’t afford me. I said, ‘Did I ask for money?’ I said, ‘I’ll do it for free.’ This is what he himself has done.”

Success of Slumdog Millionaire and Kapoor’s role

Released in 2008, Slumdog Millionaire Directed by Danny Boyle and starring Dev Patel in the lead role. Kapoor played the role of game show host Prem Kumar in the film, based on Vikas Swarup’s novel Q&A. The film achieved international acclaim, winning eight Academy Awards and numerous other honors.

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More revelations in the session

Interestingly, the actor also revealed that he was approached for the much-awaited sequel stalwart. However, he had to turn it down due to other commitments. Anil said, “Yes, Aditya (Dhar) came to me Dhurandhar 2. He wanted me to do a small cameo in the film. But whatever I am today is because of my professionalism and my commitment. This is very important – talent alone cannot make you who you are.”

“At that time, I had already promised those dates to another filmmaker. I told Aditya, ‘I would have loved to do this cameo, but I’m already committed.’ He is releasing the film now and it is a great film. It’s my loss, but that’s OK,” he added.

Talking about the work front, the veteran actor was recently seen in the film Subedar. Directed by Suresh Triveni, the film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 5. The film also stars Radhika Madan, Saurabh Shukla and Mona Singh among others.