Actresses in Mollywood are paid way lesser

SHORT-CHANGED!

Actresses who have chosen to stick on in Mollywood are paid way lesser than what imports from other industries take home

Asha Prakash & Sanjith Sidhardhan

No actress on the Mollywood screen has managed to bag a 40 lakh deal for a film here. Though, this cut off amount may come as a surprise to Malayali actresses who may have hit their all-time high with as much as 15 lakh. Malayalam films that star actresses, who are not from Kerala, tend to put together a budget of 30 to 40 lakh — which goes towards remuneration, accommodation at a star hotel, and maybe even a caravan that is hired exclusively for the actress. And local heroines who have dared to demand the same don't seem to remain in the picture for too long.
An insider reasons, "The screen presence of actresses from other industries is palpable. Think of all the bubbly characters in Malayalam, and they would all be non-Malayalis. The level of professionalism that they display is also amazing, something which no Malayali actress can match. Can you think of one actress from here who can replace Jayaprada in Blessy's Pranayam?"
Debutant director Sajeed has just signed on two new heroines from outside Kerala for his film. "I chose non-Malayalis because the script demanded it," he says diplomatically. "It is a pan Indian movie, and doesn't really need an actress with a Malayali look. Though, there is no dearth of talent here," he says.
Industry experts also point out that the Malayalam film industry is such a respected one that actresses are eager to work here. "There may be a few actresses from outside who do make huge demands. But a lot of them don't mind a smaller pay pack just to be a part of at least one Malayalam film, as that is something that will look good on their profile. Getting them to star in a second film becomes almost impossible," says a director who does not wish to be named.
However, Mollywood producers are also known to shell out money if the star happens to be a comeback queen like Nayathara who allegedly took 30 lakh for Bodyguard. Director Padmakumar points out, "No successful heroine stays on in Kerala. They tend to migrate to other languages. And directors have no time to hunt for new faces, which is why it is convenient to bring in known faces from other industry, even if it means spending a little more than necessary."
Director V K Prakash explains, "Mollywood is a hero-centric industry, and actresses are almost never the highlight. But if someone like Manju Warrier had continued to act, she would have commanded the kind of price that some of the biggest actors in Mollywood do." Till date, Meera Jasmine, who is currently not active on the big screen, was the highest paid Malayali actress for her role in Mohabbath with a remuneration that was close to 30 lakh. A senior production controller says, "The fact that she has not been able to sign on any film here lately may have something to do with her sky-high remuneration. Actress Bhavana is slowly getting there too, and may soon find herself without many offers in Malayalam." Actress Kavya Madhavan is allegedly the highest earner among Malayali actresses, with her remuneration hitting close to 20 lakh. There's also actress Mamta Mohandas who is rumoured to be taking home anywhere between 15 and 20 lakh for each film. Even well-known actresses like Samvrutha Sunil and Rima Kallingal find it tough to break through the 10 lakh limit, as they are rumoured to be charging anywhere between 5 and 8 lakh.

LOCAL STARS: Kavya Madhavan, Meera Jasmine, Nayanthara and Rima Kallingal

BEYOND BORDERS: Shriya Saran; (below) Lakshmi Rai