Shraddha Kapoor is gearing up for his most notable screen comeback yet, and it looks like his paycheck reflects that. Two years after her last theatrical outing in ‘Stree 2’, the actress is all set to make a comeback. Laxman UtekarIts ‘Itha’, the biopic of legendary tamacha artist Bithabai Narayangaonkar. According to recent reports, Kapoor has significantly increased his remuneration for the film, marking a big jump from his previous pay packet, even as the film navigates a separate controversy surrounding its title.
Shraddha Kapoor’s remuneration for ‘Itha’ is up to Rs 15 Crores
According to a report in the Free Press Journal, Shraddha Kapoor has increased her remuneration to Rs. 15 crores for ether. Producer Dinesh Vijan, who has previously collaborated with the actress on both Wife and Stree 2, reportedly believes that the Veethabai biopic could be a career-defining, game-changing project for Kapoor and that his remuneration for the film is justified given its scale and significance.Kapoor had been attached to the biopic since 2025 and stopped filming earlier this year, keeping an extended commitment to a role that has been described as her most demanding yet.
Shraddha Kapoor’s ‘Itha’ fare compares to her previous movies
Report Rs. 15 crore marks a sharp jump from Kapoor’s recent pay packet For ‘Stree 2’, Kapoor was reportedly paid Rs. 5 crore, significantly less than co-star Rajkummar Rao, who took Rs. 6 crores for the film. Shraddha Kapoor was reportedly paid Rs 7 crore for ‘Tu Jhuthi Mein Makkar’.The hike effectively triples his ‘Stri 2’ fee and more than doubles what he earned for ‘Tu Jhuthi Mein Makkar’, ranking it as Kapoor’s highest-paying project till date, at least as per these reported figures.
Explanation of the controversy entitled ‘Itha’
Beyond the fee buzz, ‘Etha’ has found himself at the center of a headline controversy. The Nationalist Congress Party’s Film and Cultural Department (NCP Chitrapata or Sanskartika Division) objected to the film’s title, arguing that “Etha” did not adequately respect the legacy of Vithabai Narayangaonkar. The team questioned why the film was not titled simply Withha or Bithabai instead.The department emphasized that Vithabai Narayangaonkar was much more than a folk artist, he was the torch bearer of Maharashtra’s cultural and tamacha art heritage and believes that the current title fails to convey that impact. Adding to the weight of objections, Vithabai’s sons, Kailash Narayangaonkar and Rajesh Narayangaonkar, along with his grandson Mohit Narayangaonkar, supported the NCP division’s demand for a name change.
Anant V Joshi Responding to the header row
Actor Ananth V Joshi, who stars in ‘Itha’, addressed the controversy in an exclusive conversation with Zoom. Joshi explained that the decision to avoid naming the film after Vithabai directly was taken to avoid potential complications.Talking about Narayangaonkar’s family’s demand to use the real name, Joshi noted that the film would only benefit if the family is completely comfortable using the real person’s name, adding that such comfort gives the project more credibility. He also noted that the creators consistently credited whose story the film was telling, regardless of the title used.
‘Etha’ Cast and Release Date
Also starred in ‘Itha’ alongside Shraddha Kapoor Randeep Hooda And Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub in the lead role. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the biopic is slated to hit theaters on August 28, making it one of the most closely watched releases of the year due to both the fee buzz and the ongoing title controversy.
