The Paatal Lok actor addresses viral reports, reminisces about FTII days, and shares insights on his rise to fame.
February 8, 2025: Jaideep Ahlawat, who reprised his iconic role as Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary in the much-anticipated second season of Paatal Lok, continues to win hearts with his stellar performance. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the show cemented Ahlawat’s status as one of India’s finest actors when its first season debuted. Now, as the spotlight intensifies, the actor humorously addresses speculations about his supposed pay hike and looks back on his remarkable journey.
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Addressing the ₹20 Crore Fee Speculation
Rumours surfaced around Paatal Lok 2 suggesting that Ahlawat increased his fees 50-fold for the new season, jumping from ₹40 lakh in season 1 to a staggering ₹20 crore. When asked about it, Jaideep broke into laughter, saying, “Arre yaar, itna tha toh mujhe bata dete. Main kuch kar leta iss paise ka. Hai kahan ye paisa, gaya kahan? (If it was that much, they should have at least told me. I would have done something with the money. Where is this money? Where did it go?)” His lighthearted response puts to rest the exaggerated claims.
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Revisiting FTII Days
Paatal Lok marks a milestone in Jaideep’s career, which began over two decades ago when he joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). A viral photo of Ahlawat from his FTII days, alongside batchmates Vijay Varma, Rajkummar Rao, Sunny Hinduja, and Prabhat, recently made waves online.
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Sharing the story behind the picture, Ahlawat said, “This was from 2007, but our journeys began long before that. It’s been 20 years since we joined the institute in 2005.” Despite their busy schedules, Jaideep revealed that the group remains close. “We’re still the same, talking nonsense. Even though we meet less in person, we stay connected through calls and messages. Every time we meet, it’s like stepping back into the student zone.”
Upcoming Projects
While Paatal Lok 2 stars Ishwak Singh, Tilottama Shome, and Prashant Tamang in pivotal roles, Jaideep is set to appear next in Jewel Thief, a Netflix film co-starring Saif Ali Khan.
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