Will the stars take less?

Voluntary pay cuts by actors are the only way for producers to reduce losses

The coronavirus has hit every industry hard, including the Telugu film industry. Producers are among the worst affected, as the halt in shooting schedules and postponed film releases will trigger losses.

Since most producers apply for financing when they go into a film, many have to pay interest on the loans. The question being asked is, are the stars willing to take a pay cut in order to lessen the load on the producers? Most actors are getting very high remunerations, which make up a big chunk of the film budgets. It is reported that Mahesh Babu took a `50 crore fee for his recent film Sarileru Neekevvaru, and has charged the same for his upcoming film too. Pawan Kalyan is also getting `50 crore for his film Vakeel Saab, shooting for which has been halted midway due to the lockdown. Dil Raju is the producer of this film. Chiranjeevi is the highest paid Telugu actor. His films are made by his own production house and his son Ram Charan. However, many top actors like Prabhas, Jr NTR, Ram Charan and Allu Arjun are all paid highly, and they need to come up with a way to ease the financial crisis. “Yes, producers suffer the most because they have to pay salaries to everyone, including actors and technicians. We can’t force any actor to take a pay cut, it is decision for them take on their own. If they do agree to accept lower remuneration, it would really help producers to recover from the tough financial situation”, says Damodara Prasad, secretary of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce.

The question being asked is, are the stars willing to take a pay cut in order to lessen the load on the producers?