‘Akshay understands the business of movie-making’
Besides the Khans,
Akshay Kumar (right) is probably the only actor who has managed to deliver hits in nearly every genre he has worked in over the years. In 2016, the actor had three releases — Airlift, Housefull 3 and Rustom — all of which have entered the 100-crore club. And now, the actor’s first movie this year, Jolly LLB 2, has been so meticulously planned that its makers are claiming that the film has made profits even before it releases this Friday (February 10).
A source explains, “When Akshay got on board for Jolly LLB 2, he had told the producers that the film’s shooting would be finished within 100 days. But Akshay wrapped up the shooting in 30 days. It happened owing to strict schedules and smart set-ups. The movie was shot at actual locations, so there were no sets to wait for or light bills to worry about. All the songs were shot backto-back. The entire crew was to follow a strict six-day schedule, and everyone had Sundays off. The cost of production was ` 30 crore, and another ` 15 crore was spent for print and advertising. Almost ` 45 crore has already been recovered through sales of satellite rights, music and digital ventures.”
Vijay Singh, the producer of the film, says, “Akshay is one of the few stars who understand the business of movie-making. He understands the need to make films on a tight budget, and therefore [knows] the importance of actors charging a flat fee, which has resulted in our film being profitable. This is how the business model of all films should be structured. It becomes a win-win for everyone, and will make the film industry sustainable.”
He understands the need to make films on a tight budget, and therefore [knows] the importance of actors charging a flat fee. VIJAY SINGH, PRODUCER