Star fees in the entertainment industry is often numbers floated and wildly exaggerated by PR machinery. Marketing teams pump out inflated figures, creating an illusion of sky-high budgets and massive payouts. Take Housefull 5, for instance. A story recently made the rounds claiming that the film had a staggering budget of Rs 240 crore. But a source closely associated with the production calls that figure “completely fabricated.” “Where did this Rs 240 crore number even come from? It’s absolutely false,” says the insider. “The film cost much less. Only around 15 percent was actually shot on a luxury cruise liner. The rest was done on studio sets.” The source also dismisses the hyped-up star fees as fiction. “Almost all stories about actor fees are cooked up. No one knows what an actor actually makes, except the actor and the producer.” As for reports of Akshay Kumar’s astronomical fee? The insider calls them “absurd.” “In fact, producer Sajid Nadiadwala discussed his budget issues openly with Akshay. Most of his recent films haven’t performed well at the box office. He needed a hit — and for that, he needed the actors to cut their fees. Every actor, from Akshay Kumar to Chunky Pandey, agreed to take a pay cut, and did so willingly.” A handsome fees yes, Rs 20 cr, no! Meanwhile, another headline-grabbing story claimed that Deepika Padukone had demanded Rs 20 crore from director Sandeep Reddy Vanga for his film Spirit. Though the reasons behind her exit from the project remain unclear, Deepika has since moved on to another high-profile Telugu film — this time opposite Allu Arjun, directed by Atlee. And in this case, sources say she’s getting exactly what she wants. So, is it Rs20 crore? The insider chuckles. “I don’t know where these crazy numbers come from. No one’s paying Rs 20 crore to any actress — not yet. Deepika is getting a handsome fee, yes, and she’ll be working limited hours to accommodate her maternal duties.” In fact, Kiara Advani — also expecting her first child — is in the process of formally limiting her working hours after her delivery. Veteran filmmaker J.P. Dutta weighs in with a dose of realism: “I’ve made huge films with formidable star casts. No one ever demanded — or got — more than they deserved. But if you’re a fly-by-night producer desperate to get A-listers and have no story to sell, you’ll end up overpaying. Let me tell you — stars don’t bring in audiences anymore. Stories do. As for any heroine getting Rs 20 crore? Ridiculous,” Dutta said.
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