Karan Johar criticizes actors' high fee demands: ‘A lot of them are not really in touch with reality’

Filmmaker Karan Johar addressed the escalating entourage expenses in Bollywood. At the trailer launch of his upcoming production 'Kill', Karan, who oversees Dharma Cornerstone Agency, emphasized the need to scrutinize the lead actor's pay more than the entourage costs.

‘The entourage cost is the least of our worry,’ Karan told reporters at the event.

‘It’s the main remuneration of the actors that has to be looked into. It’s very critical for all the actors to understand exactly how the times are, how the climate of our movies are, how tough and difficult it is to maneuver through making a motion picture of any magnitude or size,’ he said.

He continued, ‘It is very difficult, there are so many costs— the PnA (Publicity and advertising) costs and if the above the line cost, which is what comes from the actors, is not viable, then it becomes important to mount a film. Every single movie star today has to review what they’re asking for.’

The director noted that some producers pay excessive fees to actors to ensure film production, but this practice will harm the entire system in the long run.

Karan added that many actors require a reality check regarding their market valuation.

‘They (actors) can take all the entourage they want, that is not the problem. While it’s adding to our costs, the real issue is the mothership cost. They’ve to look at that. There can be backend deals, percentage of profits, slabs of box office as per performance based remuneration. All that is possible, but every actor has to look within because a lot of them are not really in touch with reality,’ he said.

Karan Johar’s ‘Kill’ is all set to release in theatres on July 5, 2024.

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