Kangana Ranaut on if high fee by actors adds to film losses
Mumbai, June 12
Actress and politician Kangana Ranaut shared her views on whether the high fees charged by lead actors contribute to film losses.
During an exclusive conversation with IANS, Kangana said that when a film fails to perform commercially, every expense associated with the project comes under scrutiny.
The 'Queen' actress compared it to a common household that tends to reduce their spending when income falls.
Kangana was also of the view that the film industry needs to evolve, keeping up with the volatile audience expectations and market realities.
She told IANS, "When a film does not do well, the stakes will be very high. The way you used to spend money, if you don't have that much income, how much will you spend? So, having said that, I think films need to evolve. And the way society is evolving, the movies also need to keep evolving themselves."
Meanwhile, Kangana's 'Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata' co-star Smita Tambe stressed the importance of relevance in storytelling. She said that the stronger the connection between cinema and the common audience, the greater the attraction and impact a film can have.
Pitching in, Smita added, "I always feel that every person looks for some relevance. In any story, anywhere. We seek relevance. Some place where we are visible. I feel that this exchange of relevance between the stories of cinema and the common audience, the more it evolves, it will become an attraction point for them."
Citing an example of her upcoming drama, "Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata", she went on to add, "In the film, we see that every common woman, our mothers, nurses, or any other working class person, will be able to relate to it. So I feel that the more this relation evolves, the more the audience will come to us."
— IANS
Reader Comments
The problem is deeper than just actors' fees. Producers themselves are spending lavishly on sets, songs, and promotions without thinking about returns. Kangana should know this - she's been in the industry long enough. But yes, if you're charging 50 crores and the movie flops, that's a BIG problem.
Smita Tambe makes a great point about relevance. I have completely stopped watching Bollywood films because none of the stories connect with my life as an ordinary Indian. South Indian cinema is doing this right - they make films with mass appeal AND meaningful content. Bollywood needs to evolve big time.
Kangana should also look at her own fees! But jokes aside, I appreciate that she's speaking the truth. A house does cut spending when income falls - same logic applies. Maybe actors should take basic salary + profit sharing model. That way everyone wins when film works. 🎬
While I agree with the sentiment, Kangana is hardly the right person to lecture us on this. Her recent films haven't exactly set the box office on fire. But yes, the industry needs a reality check. Content is king now, not star power. Even small budget films like The Kerala Story did well because of relevance.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.