Actor John Abraham is the latest celeb to weigh in on the debate over skyrocketing star salaries and entourage costs, calling it a major issue for the film industry. When asked about “heroes charging Rs. 100 crore per film and stylists demanding Rs. 2 lakh per day,” he didn’t hold back.

“It’s already hurting Hindi cinema. At this point in time, we shouldn’t be paying people to act in films because we don’t justify those huge budgets. The huge fees that we get paid, and we can’t load a film with entourage costs as well. It’s ridiculous,” he told The Hollywood Reporter India, adding, “I don’t know if actors are thinking this way or is it their agent making them think differently... You are put in a bubble but you can’t be so daft... If people are blowing sunshine from your backside, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.”

The 52-year-old also feels that actors should “admit we are down the deep black hole”: “How much more will you suck the system dry? But you can’t clap with one hand. There are producers who are willing to pay those obscene amounts.”

Earlier, filmmakers Karan Johar and Farah Khan Kunder had spoken about the issue.