Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has recently voiced his opinions on the ongoing debate over exorbitant entourage costs in Bollywood. In an interview with Janice Sequeira, Kashyap shared some of the most outrageous demands he's encountered from celebrities.
'An actor's chef charges Rs 2 lakh per day'
“One of the most ridiculous demands is that there's some chef who charges Rs 2 lakh per day to make food that looks like… ye khana hai ya birdfeed. Itna chhota sa aata tha. Health ka tha thoda problem. Main sirf yehi khata hu,” Anurag recalled, highlighting how some actors insist on incredibly specific and expensive dietary requirements.
Kashyap also narrated an incident where an actor insisted that his driver be sent to a five-star hotel to fetch a burger with specific bread and vegan-free ingredients. The journey took the driver three hours back and forth from a remote location. Kashyap humorously pointed out, “The burger would have gone cold by the time it'd have reached the actor.”
Anurag calls it producers' shock
Criticising the permissiveness of producers, Kashyap added, “It's the fault of the producers and their agents. I don't know why the producers allow it on their sets. It doesn't happen on my sets.” He also mentioned the high fees of hair and makeup artists, which can reach ₹75,000 per day, far exceeding the pay of technicians. “If I'd have been a hair and makeup artist, I'd be far richer,” he quipped.
In an earlier conversation with Humans of Cinema, Kashyap spoke about the big-budget films. "They aren’t spending on just the film. One thing people need to understand is that when we make a film, we’re working, we’re creating something. It’s not a holiday, it’s not a picnic. A lot of money that is spent doesn’t go into making the film. It goes into the paraphernalia, it goes into the entourage. You’re shooting in the middle of a jungle, but one car will be sent to the city three hours away specifically to get you that five-star burger you want,” he said.
Anurag Kashyap's upcoming projects
Anurag Kashyap will be seen playing a villain in the Disney+ Hotstar series 'Bad Cop.' He is also preparing for the release of his long-awaited film, 'Kennedy.'
Anurag Kashyap recently announced the cast for his next film, which will mark the Hindi film debut of Malayali actor Joju George. Joining him in this project are Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Riddhi Sen, Nagesh Bhonsle, and Ankush Gedam.