Kartik Aaryan On Rising Fees Of Actors: 'The Calculations Are Going Off, I Hope I Don't...'
As Kartik Aaryan gears up for the release of 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', directed by Anees Bazmee, he shared his thoughts on the increasing fees of actors in the industry.
Kartik Aaryan has risen to become one of Bollywood's most reliable and bankable actors over the past decade. While he initially captivated audiences with his performances in comedy-dramas, he has gradually taken on more serious roles that highlight his versatility as an actor.
Kartik Aaryan on actors' increasing fees
As he gears up for the release of 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', directed by Anees Bazmee and featuring a stellar cast that includes Triptii Dimri, Vidya Balan, and Madhuri Dixit, Aaryan shared his thoughts on the increasing fees of actors in the industry.
Speaking with Pinkvilla at IFP, he said, "Everything has a calculation. It’s a business module. If things are sitting in the calculation, then it’s correct." He explained that if the returns from satellite, digital, and music rights are favorable for producers, and if audiences are showing up for an actor, then their fee is justified.
Kartik acknowledged the ongoing debates surrounding actor remuneration, attributing the issue to a lack of understanding of the financial calculations involved. "Since people are not doing these calculations, these debates are happening. The calculations are going off, and thus most people are not happy and, in fact, angry," he remarked. He humorously added, "I hope my producers stay happy and I don’t make them angry in any way. I think my calculator works well."
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Kartik on doing a film for money
When asked whether he had ever accepted a project purely for financial reasons, Aaryan candidly admitted, "Yes, I have (laughs). I did it in the beginning. I won’t say for which film." He explained that during the early days of his career, financial constraints left him with no choice but to take on a project that offered immediate income.
Following the success of 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2', where he reduced his fee to help keep the film's budget in check, Kartik took a different approach with 'Shehzada', which unfortunately underperformed at the box office.
Reflecting on the experience, he shared, "For Shehzada, which didn’t work, we were facing a crisis from before its release. They were gracious enough to give me producer credits. I didn’t want to take it, but I invested in a few things during the making, so they gave me producer credits." He added, "I just wanted to save my film, selfishly. I try to safeguard my movies in all ways possible."