Siddharth Roy Kapur, a renowned Bollywood producer behind hits like “Barfi,” “Haider,” and “Dangal,” has shed light on the economics of Bollywood filmmaking. In a recent conversation with CNBC TV18, he revealed that top actors like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan command a significant percentage of a film’s budget.
The Price of Stardom
According to Roy Kapur, when it comes to big-budget films, around 30-40% of the total budget often goes towards paying the lead actor. This practice is not unique to Bollywood; Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise have also taken home a substantial chunk of a film’s budget, as seen in the case of “Top Gun: Maverick.”
A Shift in the Industry
Roy Kapur noted that Bollywood is witnessing a change in how top stars are compensated. Instead of demanding hefty upfront fees, many are now opting for collaborative financial models. They prefer to take a smaller advance in exchange for a share of the film’s profits. This approach benefits everyone involved when the film performs well.
- Top actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Hrithik Roshan draw big crowds to theaters.
- In return, they command significant fees.
- The new trend involves tying their earnings to the film’s performance.
As Roy Kapur put it, “Now, actors are starting to tie their earnings to the film’s performance. When the film does well, everyone benefits.”