This time around , the stars are not in it for self-promotion. For years Kapil Sharma’s show was a resting place for Filmistan’s stars to promote their films, or maybe just have fun.

No money was ever exchanged hands. No more.

Now that the Kapil Sharma show is on Netflix, the stars are being paid in multi crores to grace the show.

You may probably hear different versions of the “truth” about why Alia Bhatt , now Mrs Ranbir Kapoor, was not on Kapil Sharma’s show on Netflix on Saturday.

But here is the truth.

According to a source in the know, “Kapil Sharma’s original plan was to invite the entire Kapoor family—Neetuji, Ranbir, Riddhima and Alia—on the show. Kapil and the team even offered to adjust their shooting according to her convenience. But she was still not willing.”

So what happened? According to a very close friend of the Kapoor family, “Netflix couldn’t afford Alia.”

Does this mean that the guests are being paid money to appear on the show?

“That’s right. Earlier when Kapil’s show was on television, the star guests came for free, as they had to promote their films. But now on Netflix, the stars are being paid to appear on Kapil’s show,” an informed source reveals.

Apparently the budget for the star guests each week is “quite substantial” but was still not hefty enough to accommodate two superstars like Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt under the same roof.Hence the first episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show had to make do with just Ranbir, his mother and sister.

Alia,apparently will appear in a later episode .