Filmmaker Anil Sharma has joined the growing list of industry insiders to share their view on the ongoing debate about the inflated fees of actors. Sharma, who delivered the 2023 blockbuster Gadar 2, tells us, “Actors have the audacity to increase their entourage costs at a time when their films aren’t even working in theatres.” 

Noting that only a few actors “still have value and the pull” to draw audiences to the theatres, the filmmaker says, “Gone are the days when we (Bollywood) used to make films with (actor) Dharmendra and many others, and the tickets got booked a week in advance.”

Sharma does not mince his words while criticizing the current crop of actors. “They only work on social media. Either they are earning from Instagram or advertising; cinema se unko kuch nahin mil raha kyunki unko public dekhne hi nahin aa rahi,” he says, adding, “Apart from the 3-4 heroes in Mumbai, no one has the power to get a houseful even on a Saturday or Sunday.”

The 66-year-old also highlights a significant issue: a lack of content with substance. “I feel that many directors, writers and actors haven’t even seen the world beyond Versova and Bandra. Hence, they don’t know what kind of content works in India,” he says, adding, “If the content is good and the actor is also at par, then the film can even be a blockbuster.”