MUMBAI, SEPT 26: The Directorate of Investigation, Income Tax, today raided the houses and offices of several leading film personalities. A team of 150 officers fanned out to raid over 30 premises of film stars, a film distributor and a high-profile chartered accountant duo. The raids were on till late in the evening.Those targeted were Aishwarya Rai, Urmila Matondkar, Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Amrish Puri, filmmakers Yash Johar and Karan Johar and Yash Chopra. The offices of Anil Sikri and his cousin, Ajay Sikri, both chartered accountants, were also searched in connection with the raids. While Anil Sikri works for Yash Johar, Ajay Sikri handles the accounts of Yash Chopra. A major dealer in raw stock, Sushil Gupta, was also covered, sources said.Aishwarya's Khar residence, Salman's Bandra bungalow, and Amrish Puri's bungalow at JVPD scheme, Juhu, and Urmila's flat in Parasrampuria Towers, Lokhandwala, were searched.A huge amount in cash was reported to have been found during the raid on one of the actresses. Fifteen lockers have been sealed and a large number of documents relating to investments in properties found. A PIB press note said documents relating to Salman Khan's contracts of performances abroad were also seized.This year Salman Khan has featured in three films. Two of them - Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge and Chal Mere Bhai - bombed at the box office. But Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega was a money-spinner. Industry sources say he is paid about Rs 2 crore per film.Aishwarya Rai, Bollywood's highest paid heroine - according to the grapevine, she commands a price of up to Rs 1.25 crore per film - has been seen in Josh, a commission-earner, and southern film-maker Rajiv Menon's Kandukondain Kandukondain which failed to fulfill expectations.Rani Mukherji has starred in five films this year so far. She featured in the box-office dud Hey Ram, three commission-earners Badal, Hadh Kardi Aapne and Bichoo, and in the money-spinner Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega. According to trade sources, Rani gets anything between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 70 lakh per film.Urmila Matondkar has starred in three films. There was Jungle which did average business along with box-office wash-outs Kunwara and Deewane. She is reportedly paid up to Rs 60 lakhs per film.Although film-maker Yash Chopra has had no release as a director or producer, as Bombay territory and overseas distributor of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (which made approximately Rs 12 crore in the Bombay territory and Rs 12 crore in the overseas market), the industry insists that Chopra has pocketed a few crores already. His new film, Mohabbatein, which his son Aditya Chopra has directed and which will be released on October 27 next month has also, apparently, been sold to local distributors at an astronomical price.
