Amid the heated discussion surrounding rising star fees and entourage expenses, Shoojit Sircar has shared his perspective on the issue. The filmmaker emphasized that some “popular actors” must reassess their fees – or face the possibility of losing work. He argued that more funds should be allocated to perfecting a shot to align with the director’s vision, rather than funneling money into an actor’s paycheck.
“I won’t say much about people’s entourages or what they charge, but I am sure of one thing: popular actors will have to lower their fees. If they don’t, directors will stop approaching them. We have to make a film within cost now, if we want the audience to come and watch it. Go expensive wherever needed. If the director visualizes a shot a particular way, pay more for that. The director should not compromise on his vision to save money for the actor’s fees,” Shoojit stated.
In an interview with ANI, Shoojit Sircar referenced his own experience of producing films on modest budgets alongside his friend and producing partner, Ronnie Lahiri. “But that has not been the case with us. For all the films we’ve made, we’ve never let the cost go too high. That’s why we have fewer complaints. And we’ve worked with actors who understand that they’re working on a Rising Sun film with Shoojit Sircar, and that the cost will not be too high,” he explained.
Shoojit identified the reluctance of actors and filmmakers to take risks as another factor contributing to the Hindi film industry’s current struggles. “I would say that filmmakers and producers, as creative people, are not taking risks. When it comes to storytelling, you can’t just repeat old stories. You have to take some risks somewhere. You need to bring new, insightful subjects, no matter what the genre is,” said Shoojit.
The filmmaker’s most recent project was the slice-of-life film I Want To Talk, starring Abhishek Bachchan, which hit theaters last year. Despite receiving positive reviews, it underperformed at the box office. In a conversation with NDTV, Shoojit reflected on the film’s commercial outcome, saying, “I was completely disoriented because I did not know what exactly did or did not work in terms of audiences going to the theatre. But now, the film is also on OTT, and I see a lot of people reacting to it.”
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