The term 'bankable' is thrown around recklessly in the film industry. The cine media uses the term for every other actor. But the fact of the matter is that actors whose films incur losses or don't ensure minimum openings can't be called bankable.
Karthi, as per a prominent Kollywood distributor, is one of the few bankable stars in the country with a robust strike rate. Speaking at the trailer launch event of 'Japan' on Saturday, distributor Sakthivelan B remarked that the 'Oopiri' star has an 80% success rate in Tamil cinema. "As many as 19 of his 24 movies are hits. It's fantastic to see such a success rate here," he said.
It is instructive to know that a distributor is talking about an actor's success ratio openly and with specificity. Regular stock-taking is required so that actors don't spike their remunerations after delivering just one hit. As it is, most actors live in delusions, something Karan Johar said about Bollywood stars a few years ago. In 2018, Tamil producer KE Gnanavel Raja commented that Tamil heroes charge Rs 50 Cr as remuneration once their film grosses Rs 100 Cr at the box office!
