As the discussion around exorbitant entourage expenses of Bollywood actors that add to production cost of films continues in the industry, Divya Dutta feels that actors should definitely be considerate and think from the producer’s point of view, too.

The Bhaag Milkha Bhaag actress says, “If you know that something is leading to an escalation in the production cost then you should self-reflect and be thoughtful. I am not saying cut down on all your demands, but try to reach a middle ground.”

Citing her own example, Divya, last seen in Sharmajee Ki Beti, shares, “I had done a film free of cost, for which I was paid later, and that too a hefty amount because it did well. So, you have to believe in the film, you have to believe that a lot of money is being spent to make it, and many people are dependent on the movie. After all, it’s not just about you because filmmaking is a collaborative process.”

Divya feels that she understands this because she comes from a different school of thought. She says, “I’ve done all kinds of movies. I come from Shyam Benegal school of filmmaking where even though we had vanity vans, we would sit outside and chat with each other. The other day, I heard Shabana ji (Shabana Azmi) say that she and Smita ji (Smita Patil) had cars to go to a set, but they refused to use them, saying, ‘Hum baaki actors ke saath jayenge’. For Stanley Ka Dabba, I didn’t ask for a vanity van because I wanted to spend time with the kids who were a part of the cast and share dabbas with them during breaks.”