| | |
| Rs 41 Crore
Akshay Kumar | Rs 12 Crore
Hritik Roshan | Rs 25 Crore
Salman Khan |
Of late, we've been hearing of huge 'deals' made by actors with big production houses. Apparently there's Salman Khan getting Rs 25 crore for an Ashtavinayak film, Akshay Kumar getting Rs 41 crores for a Venus film. Are these figures really real?
No, according to head honcho of Tips, Ramesh Taurani, who has made films with several biggies, who says that by and large, the high figures circulating around are more fiction than fact. He says, "A producer may pay depending upon the project, sometimes. But mostly, yeh sab jhooth hai. This is done only to hype the corporate house and the actor in question."
Producer Sajid Nadiadwala who has worked with both Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar says that the figures he reads about appear far exaggerated. "The fees have increased with time, though," he adds. (To be on the safe side?)
Recently, we were interviewing a superstar of today (name withheld on request). Well, we asked him about these figures and he told us that these figures are, in reality, not even half of what they are projected to be. "The money that is being pumped into filmmaking has increased, but not to the extent that you would estimate if these stars were actually paid what they sell to the media," the superstar stated categorically.
Akshay Kumar, confirmed that his total pay packet for a Venus film was turning out to be Rs 41 crore (Rs 20 crore fee, 50 per cent share, plus negative rights, etc). But later, in an interview to film-critic Rajeev Masand, he said, "The media decides my salary. I don't decide it. I don't know where these figures come from." Need we say more?
Reportedly, Aamir received Rs 20 crore for Ghajini. John Abraham was paid Rs 2 crore for No Smoking but has now raised his price to around Rs 5 crore. Hrithik had a three-film deal with Adlabs Films for Rs 35 crores. John Abraham had inked a three-film deal worth Rs 12 crore with UTV. Vivek Oberoi demanded Rs 4 crore for Apoorva Lakhia's upcoming Mission Istanbul after Shootout at Lokhandwala set the cash registers ringing. Shahid Kapoor has signed a film with UTV, Kareena Kapoor with Ashtavinayak.
It isn't only big stars cutting deals either. We've also heard of actors like Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Ashish Choudhary, signing two and three film deals.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, however, feels that actors do take these high fees which are circulated in the media, simply because they harbour intentions of becoming producers. "Most actors who are charging hig,h are doing fewer films. We are going the Hollywood way, where actors demand a chunk in the profit earned by the producer. Today, profits have increased. Why would they want to share it? Mark my words, soon they will turn producer themselves," he says.
Adarsh however feels that it is a debatable issue if the stars deserve such high amounts. Also, he laments that this phenomenon will wipe out many producers. "Only Johars, Chopra and their ilk will survive. Or then you make a very low cost film like Bheja Fry. The middle-of-the-road producers are going to have a very tough time."
Says producer-director Mahesh Bhatt, "Profits don't come in proportion if you pay anybody so much. These figures are just myths. Reality is far different. Bollywood has become a victim of its own lies. This is being done to intimidate and dazzle the investors and the public. It is more intended to create an illusion. However, there is no denying that there is too much money to chase too little talent. As a result, even the mediocre players have hiked up their places."
Explaining what makes the actors project false figures to hoodwink the distributors and exhibitors, Bhatt says, "Hype helps. If I announce that I am doing an Rs 45 crore film and I go all out to hype it, my investors get the message that I have a mighty product. It helps my shares to go up."
However, he adds that this is a bubble, which will burst very soon. "Recently, a big star (name withheld on request) charged huge to create an opening for a small film. The film bit the dust on the first day."
The reality is far from true. If the actors are indeed charging such high fees, the cost of the film would be unheard of (see box). Will the profits be in proportion ever, in such a scenario?
Indian Idol 15
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