Mithun Chakraborty charged Rs 1 lakh per day and outshone Amitabh Bachchan, says Vishek Chauhan

Mithun Chakraborty, the "original Disco Dancer," once eclipsed Amitabh Bachchan in popularity at the grassroots, single-screen level, particularly from 1985-1990. His prolific, low-budget films kept cinemas thriving.

Speaking on the Digital Commentary podcast, Vishek Chauhan, owner of Bihar’s iconic Roopbani Cinema, recalled how Mithun’s presence revitalised the film business during the 1980s and early ’90s. “Mithun is a legend, no matter what anyone says,” Chauhan emphasized. “There was a time when he gave us two films every month. Every Mithun film opened with 100% occupancy.”

Mithun’s appeal lay in his raw energy, relatability, and his ability to connect with audiences beyond the metro cities. As Chauhan puts it, “Mithun Chakravarthy ne single screen ko sambhala hua tha jab Bollywood dheere dheere apni elitist daur me nikal gaya tha” — translating to: “Mithun Chakraborty had kept single-screen cinemas alive when Bollywood slowly drifted into its elitist phase.”

Between 1985 and 1990, his popularity was so immense that even comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan became common. “Sometimes, people would place him above Amitabh Bachchan,” Chauhan revealed. “Mithun has become so big and given so many hits, so he has seen that kind of stardom too.”