Sanjay Dutt is commanding a whopping fee of over Rs 15 crores per movie and has even signed up to 28 movies till 2011.

The new rate is thanks to good friend and colleague Suniel Shetty, who generously hiked Sanjay’s price when he signed on the actor for a multi-film deal for his production house Popcorn Entertainment.

Dharam Oberoi, CEO of Sanjay Dutt Productions, confirmed it to reporters: “It is true Anna (Suniel) raised Baba’s (Sanjay) price in the market. Before that Baba was being taken for granted price-wise by all and sundry. Anna was adamant about Baba’s price and started a new precedent by paying him far above what Baba got from others.”

He added: “Suniel is one of his dearest friends and responsible for initiating the remuneration that you’ve quoted.”

Having completed “EMI” with Suniel, Sanjay has now signed another big project with his company that will feature the two actors as warring heroes locked in a dramatic conflict. The big-budgeted Sanjay-Suniel action drama is to go on the floors soon, all thanks to Sanjay who accommodated the new assignment into his schedule even if it meant a tighter schedule for him.

“Anything for Suniel is Baba’s motto,” said Oberoi. “Yes, Baba has accommodated a new assignment with Anna into his schedule at a time when he couldn’t afford to. It means he has to work harder.”

Suniel is co-producing “EMI” with Ekta Kapoor and the film is being directed by debutant Saurav Kabra.

Sanjay recently suffered a leg injury in the gym, but he left for Bangkok to do action scenes for director Anthony D’Souza’s “Blue” against doctors’ orders. He was advised by doctors to let the limb heal itself out.

Disregarding doctors’ advice Sanjay zipped off to Bangkok to join the already-waiting cast of “Blue” even if the stunts slowed down the healing process of his legs.

“That’s Baba for you. Even when going underwater was potentially harmful to his already weak lungs he went 40 feet under for ‘Blue‘ in the Bahamas. And now he’s doing stunts in Bangkok with his injured leg with Akshay Kumar.”