By:
Subhash
K.
Jha,
IndiaFM
Wednesday,
June
06,
2007
Confirming
that
director
Apoorva
Lakhia
has
indeed
been
paid
Rs
1.25
crores
to
direct
the
espionage
thriller
Mission
Istanbul
for
his
production
house
Popcorn
Entertainment,
Actor
Suniel
Shetty
says,
"Why
not?
Why
is
the
figure
so
eye-popping?
Apoorva
Lakhia
deserves
it
especially
after
Shootout
At
Lokhandwala."
Cutting
down
the
rumour
that
Lakhia
hiked
his
fee
from
Rs
60
lakhs
to
1.25
crores
after
success,
Suniel
says,
"No,
when
I
signed
Apu
we
didn't
discuss
the
price
at
all.
I
had
that
much
faith
in
his
abilities.
And
what
I'm
paying
him
is
just
the
base
price....In
return
I
get
his
full
commitment
for
the
project.
Apu
won't
just
come
on
the
sets
call
the
shots
and
leave.
He's
full-on
into
Mission
Istanbul.
He
won't
direct
any
other
film
during
the
shooting
of
my
film.
He
added,
"In
fact
I've
made
him
my
partner.
We
share
the
profits
on
Mission
Istanbul.
...more
incentive
for
the
director.
And
tell
me,
if
I
want
to
hire
a
good
director
how
can
I
get
one
without
incentive?
All
the
super-directors
from
Aditya
Chopra
to
Karan
Johar
are
working
inhouse.
Rakeysh
Mehra
has
tied
up
with
UTV.
And
look
at
how
productive
their
team
is!
"
This
isn't
just
the
way
Suniel's
company
intends
to
work
with
directors,
but
also
the
stars.
"Bobby
Deol
and
Viveik
Oberoi
are
more
or
less
on
for
Mission
Istanbul.
The
stars
who
work
for
my
company
will
be
paid
their
base
price.
In
principle
they
won't
work
in
any
other
project
until
my
film
is
over."
Is
this
a
sign
of
Bollywood's
increasing
corporatisation.
"Oh,
absolutely.
Directors
are
the
real
stars
of
any
film.
About
time
they
got
what
they
deserve.".
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