John Abraham slams hefty star fees, says Bollywood is 'really suffering'

Bollywood actor and producer John Abraham, who is busy promoting his upcoming movie The Diplomat, shed light on the exorbitant fees charged by celebrities in Hindi cinema. Addressing the issue, John said, “As an industry, we are really suffering."

During a candid chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, John Abraham spoke about actors demanding as much as Rs 100 crore for a single film, along with their entourage expenses significantly inflating the overall budget. He said, "It's already hurting Hindi cinema. At this point in time, we shouldn't be paying people to act in films because we don't justify those huge budgets. With the huge fees that we get paid we can't load a film with entourage costs as well. It's ridiculous."

John Abraham, who is also a producer and understands the agony, believes actors today need to realise the reality of the Hindi film industry. "I don't know if actors are thinking this way or if it's their agent making them think differently. I understand you are put in a bubble, but you can't be so daft. You need to see the real world. If people are blowing sunshine from your backside, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. As an industry, we are really suffering," added the Vedaa star.

Suggesting a sigh of relief, John said that actors should take a pay cut and not "broadcast" their fees. "The first thing to make amends is by cutting your personal costs. When a director tells you that you aren't worth that much, you need to consider that. We don't have that thought yet. We compare ourselves to other actors, and we want to broadcast our fees, and that's the worst thing to do," John continued.

However, John also said that it isn’t right to blame the stars completely for the rising cost of movie production, as producers are also willing to spend hefty fees to ensure box office success. "Producers are all willing to pay those obscene amounts as well."

John said, adding that the Hindi film industry needs to prioritise content quality. "Make films, don't make proposals. Today, no actor can guarantee you an opening. Get your content right and cast actors according to the script," concluded John.

On the professional front, John Abraham is eagerly awaiting the release of his upcoming movie The Diplomat, originally scheduled for release on March 7, which will now hit theatres on March 14.