How actors' vanity vans could be killing India's movie business, slowlyMint's Lata Jha explains how exorbitantly high fees charged by film stars and their unrealistic demands from film producers ultimately end up bleeding our pockets.
In The Beat Report, Mint’s journalists bring you unique perspectives on their beats, breaking down new trends and developments, and sharing behind-the-scenes stories from their reporting. Dear reader, Since I am Mint’s media and entertainment reporter, I was recently entrusted with the task of arranging a session with a movie star for the Mint Money Festival 2025, which will be held in Bengaluru at the end of September. A film star in a personal finance festival, you ask? Well, yes, the idea was to get a film celebrity to talk about their investment philosophy, the need to plan finances, and spending wisely in an industry notorious for its unpredictability. Never having coordinated something of this sort (and aware that most actors today are tutored by PR agencies to appear a certain way), I reached out to my contacts in the Mumbai film industry to seek suggestions on who might be a good fit and could share relevant and credible money-management advice for youngsters in the audience. “God save you,” a film producer told me. “Film stars today are impossible to deal with.” (Disclaimer: There do exist actors who make no unreasonable demands, and we zeroed in on one such name for the event.😊) The mainstay of what actors are supposed to do is appearing in films, right? But as this producer told me, how actors conduct themselves during events and public appearances that are hardly the crux of their profession provides clear (and worrying) proof of where Bollywood’s star machinery is heading. So it’s anyone’s guess how much worse it would be for film shoots and the studio heads bankrolling them. Movie stars, many of whom already charge 50% or more of a film’s budget, also bring entourages of up to eight people—from stylists to fitness instructors—which can cost producers as much as ₹1 crore over a 30-to-35-day shoot. For large films, these expenses can add about 10% to the budget; for smaller ones, the figure jumps to 20-25%, besides the actor’s fee.
That’s not all. It is common, the producer told me, for stars to demand up to nine vanity vans during a shoot—one to sleep in, one to work out in, another to get ready, yet another for their meals to be cooked and a few for their assistants and stylists. “God forbid if there is an outdoor shoot, because then everyone shall travel with them, in no less than business class. Plus, if they have children, be ready to ferry and host multiple nannies too,” the producer added. To be sure, top- and mid-level stars hiked their fees by at least 20% after the rise of over-the-top (OTT) platforms, with digital streaming rights emerging as a new source of income. With enthusiasm fading and paid subscriptions hitting a ceiling, movies are finding it difficult to sell rights and even go on floors—yet many stars refuse to see reason. In fact, this February, the Kerala Film Producers Association proposed an indefinite strike starting 1 June in protest against the exorbitant star fee that they said was making movie production unviable. While Malayalam filmmakers didn't go on strike, industry experts said they were simply speaking for producers across the board. In fact, over the past few months, several highly anticipated Bollywood films have stalled, as producers struggle with star demands and fees—at a time when many names don’t even guarantee decent box office openings. Producers, cagey following the bombing of several big-name, big-budget movies at the box office, are either scaling back or shelving ambitious projects that require huge investments. Post-covid big-budget films that failed despite heavy hype and anticipation include: Prabhas starrers Adipurush and Radhe Shyam; Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj and, more recently, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan; Salman Khan’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Sikandar; Ranveer Singh’s ’83 and Cirkus; and Tiger Shroff’s Ganapath and Heropanti 2. Names such as Kartik Aaryan, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra, Janhvi Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon have also delivered mixed box-office records.
Why should it concern us?Well, our popcorn and cola combos cost ₹800 for this particular reason. Producers struggling with inflated budgets and the need to break even, if not make a profit, often pass on the burden to distributors, who in turn, compel theatre owners to price tickets at exorbitant rates. Cinemas, which anyway deal with a volatile box office and a few money-spinners each quarter, also see big star films (that are made at high budgets) as an opportunity to earn as much as they can, pricing both tickets and food and beverages as high as possible. Dismal box office openings, coupled with unreasonable demands, point to deeper issues with today’s leading stars. While many millennial and Gen Z actors dominate social media feeds through endorsements, collaborations, and paparazzi appearances, they are increasingly unable to ‘open’ films—especially in small towns. Their online fame, in other words, does not translate into a genuine pan-India connect. True, that part of the challenge lies in today’s crowded entertainment landscape, but the film industry’s survival depends on producing content at sustainable costs. The magic and mystery around actors may have waned, but it is still possible for films to recover investments and reap benefits for every stakeholder in the value chain. Not only will that mean more films and more work opportunities in general, but also more money (hopefully) available for writing, pre-production, visual effects and the overall audience experience. In time, it may also mean that many more of us would be able to go to the movies without it costing an arm and a leg. If cutting the number of vanity vans is all it takes, perhaps it isn’t an unreasonable ask. That’s it for today! Meanwhile, you could consider subscribing to Mint Premium to be able to access our daily news, analysis, features, and a lot more. My coupon code LATA30 can get you a 30% discount. Also, the Mint Money Festival, which I mentioned at the start, is our flagship event celebrating financial self-reliance and smart wealth-building. Book your tickets now to attend the event! Edited by Lokesh Yadav. Produced by Tanay Sukumar.
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