Director’s cut
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2014)


Sanjay Leela Bhansali has struck a unique deal with his Bajirao Mastani coproducer Sunil Lulla. The filmmaker will not charge a single rupee as his directorial fee but will share 50 per cent of the film's profits.

A source close to the development, told Mirror, "Earlier, only big stars demanded a share in profits but today, many A-list directors take 25-30 per cent of the profits from studios in lieu of their remuneration. Bhansali has doubled that figure, but there is a reason for the move."

Explaining what prompted Bhansali to take this step, the source said: "Bhansali is confident about the fate of the film and knows he will not be shortchanged. It's a smart move."

When contacted, Lulla's spokesperson confirmed the news.Speculation is rife that Bajirao Mastani has a budget of a whopping Rs 210 crore, making it the costliest Indian film. The source however refutes the rumours saying SLB has a sensible budget in mind and by taking a director's cut; he will be reducing it further.

The film will be extensively shot in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Lead actor Ranveer Singh starts shooting by the year-end but Deepika Padukone will only report on the sets in February 2015, after she is done with Imtiaz Ali's Tamaasha and Shoojit Sircar's Piku.