The Price of Stardom

Salman Khan is reportedly charging Rs 120 crore plus profit share for his next with Dil Raju. Without backend, that climbs to Rs 220 crore upfront. It also tells you everything about where the economics of Indian cinema stand today. When a single star takes home upwards of Rs 100 crore, often much more with profit sharing, it stops being just a fee. It becomes the defining cost of the film. And Salman is not alone. Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn continue to command top heavy deals. In the South, Prabhas remains among the highest paid, while Rajinikanth reportedly crossed Rs 150 crore for Jailer. Allu Arjun has scaled up after Pushpa, and Jr. NTR and Ram Charan are in the Rs 100 crore plus bracket after RRR.

When one actor takes home Rs 150 crore in a Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore film, nearly a third of the budget is locked before a single frame is shot.

Add VFX, marketing and distribution, and the margin for error disappears. The pressure to deliver a blockbuster becomes relentless. So the question is unavoidable. Are star fees destabilising the i

Industry in transition

Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, who has not directed an A-lister since Ghulam with Aamir Khan, believes the crisis is part of a larger shift. “The film industry is in a twilight zone unlike anything I have seen in my career. In over four decades, I have never witnessed a shift of this magnitude. Post-COVID, audiences have changed significantly. At the same time, actors’ remunerations and the overall cost of making films have gone up sharply. As a result, very few films are performing at the box office. On top of that, the South Indian film industry has, in many ways, overtaken what used to be the core Hindi film audience. That is the reality we are grappling with.”

Bhatt sees the problem as structural. “The reason behind the current situation is fairly straightforward. When producers are able to sell digital and satellite rights of big star films for astronomical amounts even before shooting begins, actors feel they should share in that upside. That sentiment is understandable. The problem arises when the cost structure becomes too heavy. If the film does not perform theatrically, the financial balance collapses because too much money has already gone into it.”

Finding balance

His solution is pragmatic. “If producers are able to generate revenues in advance through digital, satellite or other rights, a percentage could go to the star. Another portion could be fixed remuneration, and the remaining could be linked to performance. This aligns the interests of everyone involved and allows the team to share both benefits and risks.”

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh agrees. “The escalating cost of talent is a reality. Big screen spectacle, cutting edge VFX, aggressive marketing and wide releases inflate costs further, making it imperative for films to open big and sustain. Star power remains a key driver of theatrical footfalls. It ensures visibility and a strong opening, but also amplifies risk if the content does not connect. The need of the hour is balance. A well calibrated model where economics align with content.”

Dissenting voices

Trade commentator Amod Mehra says, “I’ve no idea how South filmmakers work. In Bollywood, nobody pays today’s stars such ridiculous amounts. In fact, Akshay has reduced his price drastically. He now charges Rs 27 crore plus a share in profits if the film works.” Producer-director Suneel Darshan is blunt. “If producers with corporate backing are indulging stars with these figures, good luck to them. From where I see it, things look devastating. The scenario has changed radically and the interested parties will walk away richer.”

Filmmaker Prakash Jha sums it up. “Star prices are what they are. You can’t expect them to change based on last Friday’s performance. Whether it is Salman or SRK, they command the same clout. Filmmakers have to work around those fees.”

NUMBERS GAME

· Salman Khan Rs 120 crore plus profit share Up to Rs 220 crore upfront without backend

· Shah Rukh Khan profit sharing model with earnings that can cross Rs 200 crore on successful films

· Rajinikanth reportedly crossed over Rs 150 crore for Jailer

· Allu Arjun fees scaled up post Pushpa success

· Jr. NTR and Ram Charan in the Rs 100 crore plus bracket after RRR

· Akshay Kumar reportedly shifted to Rs 27 crore plus profit share model