Filmmaker Farah Khan says a change she desperately wants to happen within the industry is the control over rising entourage cost of actors which is burdening producers. The filmmaker, who has been making films for 20 years, said she has seen stars come on set with a team of nine people— who add nothing to what is seen on screen.
After consecutive failures of big-ticket films like Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan and Akshay Kumar-Tiger Shroff fronted Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, there is a renewed spotlight on the exorbitant fees actors are charging and, especially, the entourage cost, which burden a production.
In an interview with Twin Encounter, Farah was asked about the changes the Hindi film industry has undergone over the years, to which she said there are both, good and bad updates, which have altered the way Bollywood functions.
“The good change is that the industry is far more organised today, people come on time, there is a studio system in place, so all the contracts are proper, kisi ke paise koi khaa nahi sakta hai. The bad change is that, earlier, the industry would function on relationships. So, if I wanted something, I would directly call the actor. Now, I will have to meet the manager’s sub manager, then the manager will meet, after that the agency will meet! It has all become very clinical. The inter-personal relations have been ruined because of this.”
The filmmaker then spoke about the rising overhead costs in making films, which is directly linked to outrageous demands of stars. An Indianexpress.com report had shed light on the menace of entourage cost, which are inflating budgets and risking a film’s recovery. The price breakup for the entourage of a star varies, but on average, a spot boy would charge Rs 25,000 per day, personal security would charge Rs 15,000 per head per day and a stylist can charge up to Rs 1 lakhs. The overhead cost of a star amounts to Rs 20-22 lakhs per day, which for a film shot over 70 days, would be additional cost of Rs 15-20 cr.
“The change I would like to bring about is that the entourage cost has become too much. An actress comes with nine people, an actor comes with eight people. That is a waste of resources. That cost is nowhere to be seen in the film! That needs to be controlled a bit. Woh producers pe bohot bhaari padta hai,” Farah Khan said.
Actor Kriti Sanon also spoke about the entourage cost recently, when in an interview with Film Companion, journalist Anupama Chopra mentioned how she observed the end credits slate of a “big film” of this year, headlined by a “massive male star”, where he had three people cooking for him– two cooks and one chef, cost of which, she said, was taken care by the producer.
When asked how the industry could intelligently deal with the issue of unnecessary expenses, especially now that Kriti Sanon is herself a producer, the actor said, “I don’t know which film you are talking about, but whichever it is, those are too many cooks to begin with!”
Farah Khan made her directorial debut 20 years ago with Shah Rukh Khan starrer Main Hoon Na, prior to which she was a choreographer, who started her career as an assistant director and would give claps on sets.
“My job was also to dress people in their costume, so if there is a crowd of 100 people, I would have to do that as well. I started working in 1990 in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar,” she said in the interview.
Farah Khan then recalled discovering Deepika Padukone, who made her screen debut with Om Shanti Om opposite Shah Rukh. Farah said she had gotten a call from manager Reshma Shetty, who said there is a girl from Bangalore, Mr Prakash Padukone’s daughter, is a model and wanted the filmmaker to meet her.
“I had seen some ad of Deepika and I had felt that this girl should be a heroine! She came to meet me at my house, she was wearing a plain white kurta, she had no makeup and was looking beautiful! Back then, I told her I would cast her opposite Zayed Khan in Happy New Year but if you are very good, I will cast you opposite Shah Rukh Khan,” she added.
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