Bhushan Kumar on how actors raise their fees after just one hit: ‘If actor’s fee is more, we compromise with film’s budget’

Producer Bhushan Kumar said that Kartik Aaryan supported him financially during the filming of Shehzada as they had difficulties.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | Updated: June 14, 2022 08:12 AM IST

3 min read

Bhushan Kumar talks about actors hiking their fees (Photo: Instagram/ Bhushan Kumar)

Film producer Bhushan Kumar expressed his views on celebrities hiking their fees and the impact it has on the films. He added that Kartik Aaryan has always been supportive in this regard. The actor collaborated with Anees Bazmee’s film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which has emerged as a huge success at the box office.

After the success of the film, Kartik was embroiled in rumours about hiking his fees to Rs 35-40 crore. He had dismissed it and had sarcastically tweeted, “Promotion hua hai life mein, increment nahi (I have been promoted in life, haven’t received my increment).”

Also read | Kartik Aaryan on whether he’s dated a Bollywood actor, infidelity in the film industry: ‘Shall I stop going out?’

Talking about the topic of actors increasing their fees, Bhushan told Pinkvilla that film producers often cut down their budget, owing to the astronomical numerations charged by actors. Referring to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 for instance, he said, “The result is visible on screen. Even the actors should charge basis appeal of the film. Today, Aamir (Khan) sir signs a backend deal wherein he earns only if the film works. After delivering just one successful film, actors hike their fees. But this practice is not good in the long run.”

Bhushan also said that not ‘every film needs to make 100 crore’. “Our film, Pati Patni Aur Woh made 92 crore and it’s a Super Hit. Today, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has done Rs 150 crore, but we would have been in a happy space even at Rs 80 to 90 crore. Our next film is Shehzada, and we would want it to do better than Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, but that isn’t a benchmark, because the finances of that film are different. Kartik financially stood by us during the turbulent times and hats off to him. Kartik has always been like that. He stood by us and said ‘I’m there for you guys. We will solve this together,” he said.

Talking about how important the support of actors is, he added, “This factor is very important for making a big budget film. Today, if the actor fee is more, we compromise on the budget.”

Shehzada, a remake of the Telugu film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, stars Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon. Directed by Rohit Dhawan, the film is backed by Bhushan Kumar, Aman Gill, Allu Arvind under the banner of T-Series Films, Allu Entertainment, Haarika and Hassine Creations and Brat Films.

Earlier, Kartik found himself caught in another web of rumours as the T-series producer Manish Shah said that Kartik had threatened to walk out of Shehzada, if the original Allu Arjun film was released with Hindi dubbing in theatres and claimed that he lost Rs 20 crore because of the same. Bhushan stood by Kartik and rejected the statement and said that it was not Kartik, but the producers of Shehzada, who felt that their film should release in theatres before the Hindi dubbed version of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. He also called Kartik the ‘most professional’ actor he has worked with.

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