There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the eye-popping salaries of superstar security teams, with whispers doing the rounds that Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera and Shah Rukh Khan’s aide Ravi are raking in crores. Now, Shah Rukh’s former security chief has burst the bubble, revealing the actual monthly pay.
Shah Rukh’s ex-security chief reveals
Recently, Shah Rukh’s former security head Yaseen Khan appeared on a podcast shared by Hindi Rush, where he weighed in on the ongoing chatter around the hefty salaries reportedly earned by superstar security teams.
Yaseen mentioned that the reports of bodyguards earning ₹2-2.5 crore a year are incorrect. Talking about these claims, Yaseen said, “Aisa nahi hota (It is not like that).”
He clarified that most bodyguards are on a fixed monthly payroll. While a few may earn extra during film shoots, such perks aren’t the norm for everyone.
Yaseen noted that the actual pay is far lower than what’s often claimed online. According to him, even seasoned security personnel typically earn around ₹1 lakh a month, depending on their role and experience. He said, “I feel social media spreads the wrong message. It’s not like people earn ₹2-2.5 crore. If someone is a bodyguard for a big star, they have a fixed salary. Apart from that, whenever a film is being made, a separate contract is drawn up. Depending on the producer, they are paid a certain amount for that film.”
The big numbers
Talking about well-known names like Shera and Ravi Singh, he questioned the big numbers often shared online. “I don’t think they earn that kind of amount yearly. If a celebrity personally pays them based on mutual understanding, that’s different. But salaries are not that high. Kon deta hai Rs. 10 lakh per month (Who pays ₹10 lakh per month)?”
During the conversation, he shared that earlier bodyguards weren’t compensated by producers during film shoots. He revealed that when he started working with Shah Rukh, he felt the need to get more, following which he approached producers to demand fair pay, which eventually led to a wider industry shift.
Yaseen worked for Shah Rukh and his family for 10 years from 2001 till 2011. After working with Shah Rukh for over a decade, Yaseen moved on to start his own company. In 2015, he launched a Mumbai-based security firm. His company now handles VIP protection and events and has worked with names such as Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar.