Zoya Akhtar tells Karan Johar to stop paying male stars exorbitant fees; he says, “When the budget is Rs. 40 crores, you’re asking for Rs. 40 crores?”

The Hindi film industry has been grappling with a pressing issue in recent times: the exorbitant remuneration demanded by leading male actors. A series of underperforming films featuring top-tier stars has ignited a debate about the industry’s economic sustainability. Karan Johar, a prominent filmmaker and producer, recently articulated this concern at a roundtable discussion.

Johar emphasized the need for male actors to reassess their fee structures, especially given the underwhelming box-office performance of their recent ventures. “They are not going to know. But Karan, you have to just stop paying. You have to stop paying. That’s it,” Zoya Akhtar said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India.

Responding to Zoya, Karan said, “What is your last couple of films? How much have you opened to? With what right are you asking me for this number? I made a small film called Kill. I put the money in it because it was a high-concept film with a rank newcomer as the face of it. Because I’ve started doing it. It was a high-concept action film. You could not make Kill in any other way. It had to be in that train. Every star asked me for the same money that the budget was for. I was like, ‘How can I pay you? When the budget is Rs. 40 crores, you’re asking for Rs. 40 crores? Are you guaranteeing the film will do Rs. 120 crores? There’s no guarantee, right? So finally, I took a new boy, and he was an ‘outsider,’ I have to say it.”

Johar further elaborated on the industry’s current landscape, noting that there are only a handful of male actors who can reliably draw audiences. With over 200 films being made annually, producers are forced to allocate a substantial portion of their budgets to these few stars, limiting their ability to invest in new and emerging talent.

The filmmaker cited his recent production, Kill, as an example of how the industry can benefit from a shift in priorities. The film, starring a relatively unknown actor, Lakshya, and directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, showcased a high-concept action thriller with a limited budget. Despite its unconventional approach, Kill managed to garner critical acclaim and achieve commercial success, demonstrating that a star-driven formula is not always necessary for box office success.

The film’s international recognition, including its acquisition by Lionsgate Pictures for distribution in North America and the announcement of a Hollywood adaptation, further solidified its impact.

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