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Karan Johar Is Fed Up Of Newer Actors Demanding Rs 25-35 Crores; 'They Have Gone Beyond Deluded'
Filmmaker Karan Johar was recently a part of the Producers Adda 2021 hosted by Film Companion where he along with Zoya Akhtar, Nikkhil Advani, Reema Kagti and Sameer Nair addressed the topic of remuneration in the film industry and how it affects the budget and recovery of a movie.
During the conversation, the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham director said that he is fed up of newer actors charging a hefty amount of money for their remuneration. He expressed his exasperation at actors hiking their fee even when the film industry is going through a recovery phase post heavy losses due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Karan said, "I am so fed up. I have seen prices of actors rise through the worst period of cinema for no reason. They hadn't had a release, their last release was a failure, their films have not taken off, and yet they are just [rising their prices] because they are riding on the digital money. They have gone beyond deluded. And we all have to just suck it up and work with them because this is what we do."
He continued, "They don't understand. Because in the climate that we are in, nobody is taking theatrical backends. You are taking a percentage of profit instead, which you can offer as well. Striking those deals with megastars make sense. What I am not understanding is that there is a younger order that is yet to prove their muscle at the box office. But instantly, you hear [them asking for] 25-35 crores. What are these numbers?"
The director-producer said that he would rather pay the members of the technical team more who make the film really special.
"I would rather pay top dollar and much more to members of the technical crew who really, really make your film special. There are editors who have saved films. There are cinematographers who have uplifted films," Karan said during the discussion.
He further continued, "I'm like, 'Why am I paying this actor over Rs. 15 crores and I am paying my editor, Rs. 55 lakhs? It's not making any sense to me.' But that's just become the market norm. And then there are certain editors, writers, cinematographers and lead technicians who have upped their numbers, and more power to them. If they are delivering, they must be paid. Even in our own production house, I feel the mindset is like: 'Why are we paying the writer so much?' How dare you say that? The film is good because of the writing. It's not good because an actor comes and does their job. Of course, they'll do their job well but the fulcrum of the film lies in its narrative."
With regards to films, Karan Johar has returned back to direction with Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt's Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. The film also stars Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi. Johar had last helmed Ranbir Kapoor-Anushka Sharma-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in 2016.
