John Abraham slams actors for high fees and entourage costs
What's the story
Bollywood actor John Abraham has taken a stand against his colleagues within the Indian film industry for their ridiculous fees and even more ridiculous entourage expenses.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, he spoke about the trend and said it is "already hurting Hindi cinema."
He questioned the justification for such high costs and urged actors to acknowledge the issue.
Actor's perspective
'We don't justify those huge budgets': Abraham
When asked about actors demanding ₹100 crore as if it was nothing, with their stylists charging ₹2 lakh per day, Abraham called it "mental."
He added, "At this point, we shouldn't be paying people to act in films because we don't justify those huge budgets, the huge fees that we get paid. We can't load a film with entourage costs as well. It's ridiculous."
Industry insight
Abraham questioned actors' awareness of industry struggles
Abraham further questioned if actors realize the financial strain their demands put on the industry.
He said, "I don't know if actors are thinking this way or is it their agent making them think differently."
"I understand you are put in a bubble, but you can't be so daft. You need to get out and see the real world."
Industry advice
'How much more will you suck the system dry?'
The actor also advised his fellow actors to take a more active role in producing films and share profits from them.
He said, "Actors should admit that we are down the deep black hole, and actors should go to the backend and work on the film."
"Actors should say that if the films make a profit, we make profits because we have earned our millions. How much more will you suck the system dry?"
Quality focus
Abraham emphasized quality over commercial considerations
Abraham, who is also a film producer, emphasized prioritizing content quality over commercial considerations.
He advised filmmakers to focus on writing compelling narratives and cast actors according to the script, instead of relying on star power for success.
The debate over actors' fees and rising film budgets in Hindi cinema has been on for years, with recent box office failures of big-budget films bringing it back into focus.