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This is an archive article published on September 24, 2024
Zoya Akhtar scolds Karan Johar for overpaying movie stars, tells him he needs ‘to stop’; he reveals actors demanded Rs 40 crore for Kill
Karan Johar declared that he has stopped giving in to star demands, and no longer pays actors what they want because they can't guarantee hits.
Filmmaker Karan Johar with childhood friend and director Zoya Akhtar. (Photo: Instagram/karanjohar)
Filmmaker Karan Johar spoke about his growing disdain for Hindi movie stars demanding more money than their films are worth. He said that he has started to rectify these trends, after having caved into star demands previously. He said that major stars turned down the film Kill, which he produced, because they couldn’t come to an agreement over their salaries. Karan’s contemporary, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, chided him for having skewed industry trends by giving into such high demands in the past.
Both directors were a part of a roundtable hosted by The Hollywood Reporter India. Reacting to stars such as Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn’s films opening to Rs 2 crore or Rs 3 crore, Karan said, “Everybody has to look at their remuneration levels.” Zoya interjected, and said, “Karan, you just have to stop paying them.” Karan said that he has.
He continued, “I don’t pay anymore. I’ve said, ‘Thank you very much, I can’t pay you’. I am not paying anyone. What were your last couple of films? How much have you opened to? What right do you have to ask me for this number? I produced a small film called Kill, I spent the money on it because it was a high-concept film with a rank newcomer. Every star that we went to asked me for the same money as the budget. When the budget is Rs 40 crore, how can you ask for Rs 40 crore? Are you guaranteeing me that the film will do Rs 120 crore? There’s no guarantee.”
Karan eventually went with the newcomer Lakshya, whom he proudly described as an ‘outsider’ that he has given an opportunity to. Citing the example of Hollywood trends, he said, “Hollywood started doing this a decade ago, when they started giving these new stars all the tent pole franchise films. They were empowered by the studios. That’s what needs to start happening here. You can take younger actors, and you can tie them in contractually and not let them do a similar franchise for another studio…”
On the Masters’ Union podcast recently, Karan spoke about major stars living being delusional about their success. He said, “I might be murdered for saying this, but if you are opening to Rs 5 crore and you are asking me for Rs 20 crore, how is that fair? Delusion is the one disease that has no vaccination.” In the THR interview, Karan also pointed out the imbalance in film hierarchies, which often result in below-the-line talent being under-paid. “You get so upset about paying a cinematographer or an editor top dollar, but you want to pay an actor who is not assuring you an opening. This editor is magical, he or she can change the game of your narrative, but you don’t want to pay them,” he said.
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