Shraddha Kapoor is gearing up for one of his most significant screen comebacks, and it looks like his salary reflects that. Two years after her last theatrical outing in ‘Stree 2’, the actress is set to make a comeback with: Laxman Utekar‘Eetha’ by, is a biopic on the legendary Tamasha artiste Vithabai Narayangaonkar. According to the latest reports, Kapoor has increased his fee for the film, marking a huge leap from his previous pay packets, even as the film navigates a separate controversy surrounding its title.
Shraddha Kapoor’s fee goes up to Rs 15 crore for ‘Eetha’
According to a report in Free Press Journal, Shraddha Kapoor has increased her remuneration to Rs. 15 crore for Eetha. Producer Dinesh Vijan, who previously worked with the actress on Stree and Stree 2, reportedly believes that the Vithabai biopic will be a career-defining, game-changing project for Kapoor and that her remuneration for the film is justified by its scale and importance.Kapoor has been attached to the biopic since 2025 and wrapped filming earlier this year, placing a high commitment in a role described as one of his most demanding to date.
How does Shraddha Kapoor’s ‘Eetha’ pay compare to her previous films
The reported Rs. 15 crore fee marks a sharp jump from Kapoor’s recent salary packages. For ‘Stree 2’, Kapoor was reportedly paid Rs. 5 crore, significantly less than co-star Rajkummar Rao, who took home Rs. 6 crores for the film. For Tu Jhoothi​​​​​​Main Makkaar, Shraddha Kapoor was reportedly paid Rs 7 crore.The hike effectively tripled his ‘Stree 2’ fee and more than doubled his earnings for ‘Tu Jhoothi​​​​​​Main Makkaar,’ placing Eetha as Kapoor’s highest-paid project to date, despite these reported numbers.
‘Eetha’ title controversy explained
Apart from the bill, ‘Eetha’ also found itself at the center of a title dispute. The Nationalist Congress Party’s Film and Cultural Department (NCP Chitrapat va Sanskrutik Vibhag) objected to the film’s title, arguing that “Eetha” did not adequately honor Vithabai Narayangaonkar’s legacy. The party questioned why the film was not just titled Vitha or Vithabai.The department emphasized that Vithabai Narayangaonkar was more than a folk performer, he was a torchbearer of cultural traditions and Tamasha in Maharashtra and believed that the current title failed to convey that impact. Adding weight to the opposition, Vithabai’s sons, Kailash Narayangaonkar and Rajesh Narayangaonkar, along with her grandson Mohit Narayangaonkar, supported the NCP department’s request for a name change.
Anant V Joshi responds to the subject line
Actor Anant V Joshi, who appeared in ‘Eetha’, addressed the controversy in an exclusive Zoom conversation. Joshi explained that the decision to avoid directly naming the film after Vithabai was made to avoid potential complications down the line.Speaking about the Narayangaonkar family’s request to use the real name, Joshi noted that the film can only benefit if the family feels completely comfortable using the person’s real name, adding that such comfort lends the project more credibility. He also pointed out that the creators are always credited with whose story the film is telling, regardless of the title used.
‘Eetha’ cast and release date
Along with Shraddha Kapoor, ‘Eetha’ also stars Randeep Hooda and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub in key roles. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the biopic is set to hit theaters on August 28, making it one of the most-watched releases of the year given both its billing and the ongoing title debate.