Meena Iyer (DNA; April 11, 2018)

It’s a vicious cycle. On the one hand, there are films that are money-spinners and on the other, there are so many movies that fall by the wayside even before they are completed. Alarm bells are being sounded, but I don’t know if people can hear them. Many films are lying incomplete. And their future seems BLEAK. Who is to BLAME for this? A trade analyst observes, “There is a section of stars who have over-valued themselves and allowed unorthodox financiers to enter. Greed and gluttony are mentioned as sins even in the holy books.”

Bollywood has often been referred to as a mom-and-pop shop. Accusations of nepotism are hurled at people from the industry. And national debates are conducted across media platforms on which the demerits of ‘by me, for me’ norms are discussed. However, when an outsider steps into the world of cinema, it’s not always the best thing. At least in the production sector.

Today, Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala — the known triumvirate in the business — are successful producers and have the biggest stars working with them for a simple reason. They know the difference between oranges and apples. They respect talent, are experts on the Return On Investment (ROI) mantra and know which star is worth how much. The fact that Aditya is the son of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra, Karan is the son of one of the most-loved producers Yash Johar and Sajid is the grandson of AA Nadiadwala is a happy coincidence. Adi, Karan and Sajid have spun their success stories... they may have borrowed some of the expertise from their fathers/families, but their current success ratio comes from a deep understanding of the business. These are not fly-by-night filmmakers, who are here to rub shoulders with the superstars or bask in the borrowed glory.

Having said that, Bollywood has its ample share of fly-by-night producers, who dazzle stars by throwing money at them. And suddenly, they find themselves hitting rock bottom.

Everyone from the mafia to the builders, from bookies to businessmen is drawn to the bright lights of Bollywood. Many have unaccounted money, too. And for a tryst with cinema, they are willing to throw megabucks at actors, who are vulnerable. The desire to earn a quick buck or make hay while the sun shines is a human failing. Stars and certain technicians are no different. Often, projects that can be completed on a modest budget are over-hyped and over-priced because some star/director will earmark a ridiculous remuneration for himself. And invariably, these projects ever reach the finishing line.

Most just run in the direction of cheques with additional zeroes. And an innocent person ends up paying a price for the greed of such egotistical monsters.