New Delhi:

There should be a healthy discussion about controlling the budget of the film. Chandu Champion Actor-directors Kartik Aaryan and Kabir Khan believe that the debate about the fees and overhead costs of rising stars is going in the right direction.

Due to the consistent poor performance of big films, there has been a lot of discussion about the remuneration taken by big stars in Hindi cinema, as producers also incur losses by working with them.

Aaryan, who is one of the top stars in the industry today, said that at the end, the maths of the film should be right.

“When a film releases, there are a lot of rights. So, you get an ‘X’ amount of money from it. If your star value and the value of the whole project benefits the whole team, then I think the math works out. If it doesn’t, then you have to participate… It’s a healthy discussion,” Aaryan said in an interview to PTI here.

Khan, known for directing big-budget blockbusters such as Salman Khan-starrer “Ek Tha Tiger” and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, said the discussion has started because of the change in the dynamics of the industry post the pandemic. “It is a healthy debate and it is getting a positive response from actors, directors and producers. (Post Covid) the audience, their viewing habits changed, their habit of coming to theatres reduced. So there was a whole debate on if this is reducing, what are the other avenues we can make money from? “OTT stepped in as another big part of the revenue. But what happens is that whenever the industry faces a bit of tough time and feels that maybe the recovery is not happening the way it used to earlier, then obviously there will be an attempt to control the budget,” the filmmaker told PTI.

Aaryan said, “I feel the same way. I am completely involved in all my films. My whole job is to make the maths add up. That’s the main thing. That’s what sir (Khan) was saying as well.” Khan, whose last film was the 2021 multi-starrer sports drama “83”, said people in the industry should be on the same page to decide how costs can be controlled without compromising on the quality of the film.

“Nobody wants to cut down on the money spent on what is shown on screen. So, the question is about the money that comes through staff fees, which is obviously a big part of the budget. Even stars and actors are now coming forward and saying, ‘If you are making such a film, it needs this much money to make it on this scale, so obviously we will cut down our fees.’

He said, “Nobody wants to say ‘give me my money even if we make a small film’. Ultimately, it will affect the employees. This is a healthy discussion and I think there is a consensus across every section of the industry that we all have to come together so that the business can continue. You cannot kill the business by starting to make money in the short term.”

Aryan, who has led the money-making people like Bhool Bhulaiya 2 And story of true love Over the last four years, all stakeholders have worked together to better support the industry.

“I don’t think actors or directors or even producers will have any such problem because this is something that will benefit everyone. Having said that, there have been changes in a way post Covid. The audience is particular about the kind of films they want to watch in theatres. There has also been a lot of influx on the platforms, due to which they are getting a lot of content.

“Of course, there are multiple avenues to watch content now, which is why we have to be smart about it so that the entire ecosystem is beneficial for everyone, whether it’s the platforms, the actors, the directors, the producers or the theatres. It’s never ‘or’, it’s ‘and’. That’s something we are really looking at,” he added.

Chandu Champion, Khan and Aaryan’s film on India’s first Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar, traces the hero’s journey through various ages and stages, including his time as an Indian Army soldier, a wrestler, a boxer, a 1965 war veteran and a swimmer.

Produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films Production, this Hindi film will be released on June 14.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)