The cost of escorting Bollywood stars is an issue that has been talked about for some time now. Many industry insiders have complained about how this adds to the film’s budget and is a burden on the producers.
The debate gained further momentum after the makers of Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Varu Prasad Garu revealed that while the film was reportedly made on a budget of around Rs 200 crore, its actual production cost was only around Rs 25 crore. Reports also claimed that Chiranjeevi’s remuneration alone crossed Rs 75 crore.Now, veteran actor Sudhir Pandey has weighed in on the discussion, reflecting on the unequal treatment of leading stars and character actors on film sets.
He even suggested that the money spent on bottled drinking water during filming could be enough to finance a small budget film.
Pandey pointed out that supporting actors are rarely provided with vanities similar to those meant for major stars. He said in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, “It is very rare that character actors like us get a big truck. Usually, we are given a small truck. Stars who arrive with an entire convoy look very fake and artificial.”
Seems like a waste of money. If they’re spending out of their own pockets, it’s a different story.
But if producers are paying for it, it’s just a waste. The amount of money wasted there is enough for someone to make a movie on a small budget. He also added, “You won’t believe it, but the amount spent on Bisleri water alone could be enough to make a film on a small budget.”When asked if he himself maintains a personal entourage, Pandey explained that he does not.
“I don’t have a team. One time I was sick and had to take my meals and medications on time, so I kept my boy with me to help out. I pay for him myself. Some producers offered to bear the expenses, but I always told them that if they couldn’t, I would pay for it. It was never a problem.”Speaking about the disparity between stars and supporting actors, Pandey admitted that he has come to accept it as the norm in the industry.
“You can’t do anything about it. It’s part of this sterile culture – I use the word ‘useless’ deliberately. We claim to be democrats, but we are far from it. Whoever reaches a position of power in any field starts dictating terms, and people simply follow them. You cannot challenge them.”Interestingly, Aamir Khan had earlier spoken out against the same culture of personal expenses funded by producers and huge footnotes. During an appearance on trade analyst Komal Nahta’s YouTube show Game Changers, Aamir said that while stars deserve respect, they should never abuse their position by putting unnecessary financial burdens on producers.Amer said: “Stars deserve respect, but not to the extent that they annoy producers.” Recalling the start of his career nearly 37 years ago, the actor revealed that he was surprised after discovering that producers routinely paid off the star’s personal staff.“There was a system where the producer paid the star’s driver and assistant on set. I found it very strange. I thought: ‘The driver and assistant work for me, so why should the producer pay them?’ If the producer pays my personal staff, does that mean he also has to pay my children’s school fees? Where does it stop?”Amer explained that he put an end to this practice from the beginning.“I think producers should only spend on things that are really needed for the film – make-up, hair and costumes. But how do my personal driver or assistant contribute to the film? They work for me, so it is my responsibility to pay them, especially when I am earning a good income. From day one, I made it clear that none of the producers will pay my driver or assistant. It has been 37 years now.”He also expressed concern about what he believes has become a widespread trend among young actors in the industry.“I’ve heard that stars today don’t even pay their own drivers, instead they ask the producers to foot the cost. And it doesn’t stop there. The producers pay for their workers, trainers and chefs too. I’ve even heard that actors now have live kitchens on set and expect the producers to foot the bill. They also demand several vanities – for kitchens, gyms and other purposes.”Amer wondered about the justification of these demands, and concluded, “Where do you spend all the money you earn? These stars are earning millions of dollars and still cannot pay for their own needs? I find that very strange. It is very sad and damaging to this industry. I say this very strongly – it is a shame that even today there are unfair representations of their producers and their films. When you can afford a certain lifestyle, why make the producer pay for it? Why should the producer provide you with six pickup trucks when all you need is One for makeup?
