"How can I pay you?"
At a recent directors’ roundtable, Karan Johar brought attention to the pressing issue of male actors’ high salaries.
This prompted his fellow filmmaker Zoya Akhtar to interject, insisting:
“They are not going to know. But Karan, you have to just stop paying. You have to stop paying. That’s it.”
Karan affirmed that he has already begun to adjust how much he is willing to pay top stars.
He elaborated on the challenges he faced, questioning the rationale behind the fees actors demand.
The director cited his recent project, Kill, a high-concept action film featuring a relatively unknown actor.
Karan explained the difficulties of financing the film when established stars sought salaries equivalent to the entire budget.
He questioned: “How can I pay you? When the budget is Rs. 40 Crore, you’re asking for Rs. 40 Crore?
“Are you guaranteeing the film will do Rs 120 crore? There’s no guarantee, right?”
Karan emphasised that only a handful of male actors are considered commercially viable in a market that produces over 200 films annually.
This situation necessitates a redistribution of resources to foster new talent.
Zoya echoed this sentiment, highlighting that male stars currently claim a staggering 70% of production budgets.
This leaves little for the technical crew, whose contributions are equally vital.
Kill, directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, marked Lakshya’s Bollywood debut.
It was co-produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment.
Set on a moving train, it combines intense action with innovative storytelling.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, later securing a distribution deal with Lionsgate Pictures for North America.
Plans for a Hollywood remake, led by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, are being made.
The film also achieved a notable box office gross of Rs 24.2 crore in India.
This success demonstrates that engaging narratives can resonate with audiences without relying solely on star power
Meanwhile, Karan Johar is gearing up for the release of Jigra, which he is co-producing with Alia Bhatt.
The action thriller, directed by Vasan Bala, focuses on the sibling bond between characters, played by Alia and Vedang Raina.
The teaser trailer has been released, and Jigra is set to hit theatres on October 11, 2024.
Additionally, rumours suggest that Karan may make his OTT debut with a big-budget web series for Netflix.
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