The Hindi film industry is in a state of decay. Its mega box-office flops (nobody knows much about the non-theatrical revenues) range from 'Shamshera' to 'Laal Singh Chaddha' and 'Raksha Bandhan'. 'Jersey' was said to have lost two dozen crores, but going by producer Dil Raju, it lost a single-digit figure. Probably, non-theatrical revenues saved the remake.
Superstars as big as Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar, and stars as versatile as Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, are suffering like anything in terms of public image. Their films may grab great views on OTT and TV, but box-office is what gives actors the big kick.
What about the small and medium-range actors? They are worse, as per the buzz in Bollywood circles.
A report has emerged that Bollywood producers are in dire straits because of all sorts of actors. Most of the producers, since the onset of the pandemic, have been subjected to shock and awe by actors with a market of less than Rs 30 Cr. The report says that talent management agencies have been used by actors as middlemen to negotiate unreasonably high remunerations. As a result, budgets have shot up over the years even as theatrical revenues have fallen drastically.
Some producers have gone to the extent of selling off or mortgaging their properties to survive after their flops. It seems Bollywood is heading towards a state where the actors are asked to get a life and not live in delusions!
In an interview last year, producer Karan Johar said that several Bollywood heroes have been frustrating producers by charging unbelievable fees. "They are beyond deluded. They are demanding Rs 25-30 Cr without delivering a single box office blockbuster," Johar commented.
The state of affairs seems to be beyond shocking in Bollywood!
