Anil Kapoor addresses concerns over rising star fees, says he’s done films for free: ‘Have faced this as a producer’
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| Anil Kapoor, who is currently hosting Bigg Boss OTT 3, joins the debate on stars demanding high fee |
Anil Kapoor, who recently started hosting Bigg Boss OTT 3, talked about the highs and lows he's experienced as an actor and producer. He emphasised how important it is for performers not to seek excessive compensation.
The debate around Bollywood celebrities' outrageous salaries and the rising expenses of their entourages has picked up a lot of steam in recent months. Filmmakers who struggle to make ends meet, such as Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar, have publicly voiced their worries about the impact these exorbitant costs have on the viability and quality of filmmaking. Anil Kapoor, a seasoned actor and producer who hosted Bigg Boss OTT for the third season, has recently joined the conversation.
Anil, known for his versatility and longevity in the industry with a career spanning over four decades, has seen the highs and lows both as an actor and producer. He recently spoke to Indianexpress.com and shared his thoughts on how the high fees demanded by stars disrupt the balance of film budgets and affect a filmmaker’s vision. “This is a very important conversation,” Anil emphasised, adding, “All actors, actresses, and technicians, especially the stars need to be more realistic in charging their fees and demands so that filmmakers can make more films.”
Karan Johar stated at a recent event that the producers are more concerned about the outrageous prices of movie stars than they are about the growing expenses of entourages. Karan expressed similar concerns about the exorbitant expenses that the Slumdog Millionaire actor felt after considering his own experiences as well as insights from the business. He says, "I totally agree with what Karan Johar said about the outrageous fees that actors are charging these days. I heard what he said." In the process of striving to make quality films, my family, myself, and my producer father have faced many challenges. We tried to put in our money, but the star fees and entourage costs were so high that it became almost impossible to fund the kind of quality films we wanted to make.”
Anil’s father, Surinder Kapoor, was a producer and director who also served as the president of the Film & Television Producers Guild of India and made films like Shehzada, Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, Hum Paanch, Woh Saat Din, Loafer, Judaai, and Sirf Tum among others. Anil, who turned producer with Badhai Ho Badhai, later went on to bankroll Gandhi My Father, Aisha, Veere Di Wedding, and Khubsoorat, among others, reveals he felt the financial pinch acutely. “It disturbs the budget significantly,” he noted. “I have gone through this as a producer, and it really pinches.”
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Recently, Kartik Aaryan also weighed in on the ongoing debate on rising costs of stars and highlighted the need for fairness in business. He told Film Companion, “I don’t work with the mindset ‘saari duniya mein kuch ho, main toh kamaunga’ (whatever happens to the rest, I must earn). It can’t be like I’m the only one who’s earning. Main hamesha apni fee kam karne ko ready rehta hoon (I am always ready to reduce my fee).”
To support filmmakers in making important films, the actor from "Beta" stated he is willing to accept a wage reduction. "I've always been prepared to accept a wage reduction. I have done films for free, so forget about salary reduction. There have been instances where I have supported the creators without charging a single cent. I wish not to give their names. Many performers from my age and the generations before me have performed in films without receiving anything.
He adds that most of his films which have stood the test of time are the ones where he chose to reduce his fee. “I have managed to stay in the industry for so long because I was willing to compromise on money. It was because of this that these films could be made. Almost 50-55 films in my career have withstood the test of time and brought success not just to me, but also to the makers and people associated with them,” he tells us.
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Anil’s brother and producer, Boney Kapoor, has collaborated with the 67-year-old on several films, including No Entry, however, when he decided to make a remake of the 2005 comedy film, he didn’t cast his brother who featured in the original. Following the announcement, Boney in an interview said that Anil was upset about not being cast in No Entry 2. Speaking about the same, Anil clarifies, “Boney Kapoor made a statement that I was upset for not being cast in No Entry 2. Immediately after that, he clarified that it was said in a joke. I didn’t react or say anything. I am the kind of person who, regardless of what is said or written about me, I don’t take it seriously. I just go ahead and do the next film. There were times when things were written about films and individuals and then there were counter statements and explanations. I didn’t react. I keep my head down and focus on my work. It is between, you know [brothers]. It’s too small a thing for me to discuss.”
In another interview, when asked if he was still upset with Boney, he reacted, “ghar ki baat hai.” “Ghar ki baat hai, ghar mein rehne do. Use kya discuss karna (It’s a personal matter, why should we discuss it)? Haan toh koi nahi. Aage badho (It’s okay. We should move on). Dekho ghar ki baat ko kya discuss karna (Look, what is there to discuss about family matters). And, he (Boney) is never wrong,”
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