EXCLUSIVE: Anurag Kashyap reveals Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir Khan are cost conscious as he talks about actors’ rising fees
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who is known for cult hits such as Black Friday, Dev D, Gulaal, and Gangs of Wasseypur, among others believes in not mincing his words. The director often lands in trouble for controversial remarks and unapologetic behavior. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Bubble, the director sheds light on unnecessary celebrity demands and how they increase cost of filmmaking. Anurag Kashyap also reveals how actors like Shah Rukh, Salman, and Aamir Khan are cost conscious amid all this and do not charge fees.
Anurag Kashyap of dropping out actors due to unnecessary demands
During the chat, we asked Anurag Kashyap about rising entourage cost and how producers fulfill it. However, he asserts he prefers ousting actors rather than catering to unnecessary demands. He says, “Mere set pe aisa koi demand ayega na, mai actor drop kardeta hu. Makeup mere liye dept hai, hair dept hai aur uska hod hota hai jo apni team chunta hai. (If anyone demands unnecessary things on sets, I remove the actor. For me, Makeup and Hair are a department which is led by an HOD who shortlists members). Agar koi aisi unnecessary demand karta hai I replace my actor and I don’t care. That’s why I work with newcomers. I don’t care how big a star it is I will drop it from the film. I will not allow it because it’s work.”
Anurag Kashyap on Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir being cost conscious
He also comments on actors charging exorbitant amounts and how almost 50-60% cost of filmmaking goes into their fees. To this, Anurag says, “Jab aap film banate ho, toh film banane se jyada kharcha faltu cheezon mein jaata hai. Actors ki fees se dikkat nahi kyuki wo market dictate karti hai. Mai jaisi filmein banata hu mai limit mein rehta hu, kayi baar mai apni fees forfeit bhi kar deta hu. Maine life mein 60% se jyada filmon mein zero fees pe kaam kiya hai. Biggest example is Gangs of Wasseypur. My fees was zero because I didn’t want to replace actors with big stars. Mai bade actors ke saath kaam nahi karta, lekin sabse jyada cost conscious industry mein humare teen bade stars hai- Shah Rukh, Salman aur Aamir. Teeno fees nahi lete film mein. Wo har film backend lete hai. Unki koi film costly nahi hoti.”
