David
Dhawan's
Hook
Ya
Crook
which
features
John
Abraham,
Genelia
D'Souza,
Aditya
Panscholi
and
Kay
Kay
Menon
along
with
a
handful
of
big-name
test
cricketers
including
Mahendra
Singh
Dhoni
has
finally
gone
on
the
floors.
But
only
after
being
hard
hit
by
the
current
recession
in
the
film
industry...the
first
Bollywood
biggie
to
be
busted
by
the
bucks.
Apparently,
the
entire
cast
including
the
film's
lead
John
Abraham
was
asked
to
cut
their
remuneration
drastically,
to
as
much
as
50
percent
of
what
they
had
been
initially
offered.
Though
both
UTV
sources
and
David
Dhawan
deny
drastic
cuts,
Dhawan
does
admit
to
'some
cuts
here
and
there.'
But
a
reliable
source
says
the
cuts
to
make
this
cricket
based
film
written
by
the
enormously
talented
Rensil
D'Silva,
were
staggering.
"The
entire
cast
was
asked
to
reduce
the
price,
even
John.
See,
the
film's
original
budget
was
Rs.40
crores.
During
this
time
of
recession
a
40-crore
film
about
cricket
with
David
Dhawan-John
Abraham
as
its
USP
didn't
make
any
sense."
When
contacted
Aditya
Pancholi
who
plays
a
part
in
Hook
Ya
Crook
admits
to
the
salary
cut.
"Yes
we
have
been
asked
to
take
home
a
much
smaller
salary.
I
can't
tell
you
the
exact
figure.
But
it
was
much
less
than
what
we
had
been
originally
offered.
I
think
it's
perfectly
understandable,
considering
what
the
industry
is
going
through
right
now."
In
fact
Irrfan
Khan
who
was
supposed
to
play
Kay
Kay
Menon's
role
opted
out
rather
than
accept
a
fee-slump.
Music
composer
Pritam
Chakraborty
who
is
working
with
David
Dhawan
for
the
first
time
also
admits
to
the
salary
cuts.
"Though
my
fee
wasn't
cut
because
it
was
already
very
reasonable,
I've
heard
the
cast
took
a
chunky
cut
in
their
remuneration."
However,
cricketer
Dhoni
who
also
plays
a
part
has
apparently
been
exempted
from
the
salary
curtailment.
Laughs
a
source,
"Why
would
Dhoni
or
any
other
star-cricketer
agree
to
be
in
a
Bollywood
film
if
not
for
the
money?"
Story first published: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 11:30 [IST]