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There is an ongoing debate about the rising hair and makeup costs in Bollywood, which are increasingly straining film budgets. Several producers have voiced concerns about this growing issue. A recent report by SCREEN revealed that while a writer may earn around Rs 10–12 lakh for a film, the hair and makeup budget can range anywhere from Rs 5–10 crore. The rising costs are largely attributed to demands from HMU (Hair, Makeup, and Upholstery) artists in stars’ entourages, which often include first-class travel and five-star accommodation.
Renowned hair designer Aalim Hakim has weighed in on the escalating entourage costs. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, he said: “Mostly, in the industry, what people do is increase their fees based on the value of the actor. If someone is a superstar, then their entourage’s fees will be high, and if another star doesn’t have that much box-office pull, their entourage will be cheaper. But I personally feel you should charge the same fees for everybody, whether it’s a superstar or a newcomer. When you buy an iPhone, the price remains the same for both the rich and the poor. So why does an entourage double or triple their fees once their star delivers a Rs 500 crore hit? As if they themselves delivered a Rs 500 crore hit! A star can increase their own fees, but the staff should get just a 5–10% hike every year, like it happens in the corporate sector.”
He further added: “Whoever is doing such things is doing wrong. I have never done such a thing in my life.We have a standardized price for every actor; that’s why we have survived for so long and our reputation is so strong. Because we have never quoted an unethical amount. Things get ugly when someone quotes an unethical price. It bad-mouths the profession.”
Aalim Hakim is currently styling looks for several high-profile projects, including Siddharth Anand’s King, Atlee’s next with Allu Arjun, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War, and S.S. Rajamouli’s globe-trotting actioner.
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