Veteran actor Jackie Shroff has weighed in on the ongoing debate in Bollywood about the rising costs of star entourages, urging both actors and producers to be clear on responsibilities before signing film deals. Jackie, who says he usually works only with a spotboy, acknowledges that today’s actors may require more – from personal chefs and trainers to large styling teams.
Suggests Producers and Actors Share Expenses Upfront
Jackie believes it’s important for both parties to decide in advance whether the actor’s entire team will be paid for by the production house or whether the costs should be split. “Talk to the production house first that you have these many people in your staff. An actor usually has a makeup person, hairdresser, and a spotboy. If they don’t bring a spotboy along, they can get one from the producer’s company. If there are 17-18 artists on a set, they all have their own requirements,” he told Vickey Lalwani.
He further added, “Maybe they also have someone who cooks for them. Their habits have changed and the entourage has grown bigger. But when they talk to the producer, they should discuss how much cost they can cover for their entourage and how much the producer can. That combination should be there.”
Jackie Shroff Questions Rising Star Entourage Costs
Jackie explained that in some cases, shared costs make sense. “It could be a shared cost, but it depends on them. If they make a very expensive film, have four artists, and those four artists have around 12 entourage members, I can afford them as a producer. But the producers who can’t afford that much should ask the artists to reduce that cost and then divide the costs. But this doesn’t usually happen these days,” he added.
And if a producer agrees to those terms? Jackie doesn’t think they should complain later. “Don’t sign them otherwise! If you sign an artist happily, and you know their entourage is there, don’t cry later! Baad mein kyu ro raha hai. Ro kyu raha hai. Itna kama raha hai,” he said.
This comes after celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim criticized technicians who increase fees after a film’s success. “What does a technician have to do with a film becoming a superhit? They’ve just cut the actor’s hair… Their actor scoring a Rs 500 crore film shouldn’t increase the hairstylist’s fees just because the actor has become comfortable with them,” he noted.
