Shahid Kapoor has proved he is an ace actor by showcasing his acting prowess in films like Jab We Met, Kaminey, Haider, Udta Punjab, Kabir Singh, and more. The actor - who was as NCB officer Sumair Azad in Bloody Daddy, recently opened up about Vishal Bhardwaj's 2014 crime thriller, Haider and the pay cheque he received for playing the titular character.

As per the actor's confession, Kapoor stated that he didn't receive a single penny from the makers of the modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. Read on to know why he wasn't paid and if he'll ever do a film for free again.

During a recent interaction with Film Companion, Shahid Kapoor revealed her essayed the titular in Vishal Bhardwaj Haider, for free. Talking about not charging the makers a penny to play Haider Meer - in a film also starring Tabu, Kay Kay Menon, Shraddha Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, the 'Bloody Daddy' actor – via Indian Express, said, "I'm the only one who did it for free."

Talking about saying no to a pay cheque as his remuneration was beyond the budget of the Haider, Shahid Kapoor was quoted saying, "They couldn't afford me. They said if they had to pay me, then the budget of the film wouldn't get sanctioned because it was a very experimental subject. They really didn't know if it would land at all but it was a very compelling kind of product to make and so I said, "Yeah, I will do it for free."

On being asked if he has done other films for free, Kapoor stated Haider was the only exception. He said, "It was only time I did it. It just happened at that time. I said, 'Yeah let's do it, it's okay.'" The actor - who is now a father to two, added that not taking payment is a one-time thing and cannot be made into a habit. He said, "Ghar bhi chalana hai (I have to take care of my household as well)," while laughing.

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Haider saw Shahid Kapoor play the titular role while Tabu played his mother and Kay Kay Menon as his paternal uncle. The film starred Shraddha Kapoor in the role of Ophelia-Horatio and Irrfan Khan as the Ghost. The film was released in 2014 and performed well at the box office.