Actors feel the financial hit should be shared by all involved
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 12, 2020)

The entire economy has been hit by Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown, including the TV industry. As business on the small screen slowly limps back to normal, several measures have been taken to minimise further financial distress, including pay cuts for actors.

“Of course, pay cuts will happen. Our industry largely depends on ad revenue. Everything is linked – advertisers to broadcaster, broadcasters to producers, producers to artistes and technicians,” says producer J D Majethia.

Actor Dheeraj Dhoopar, who has resumed the shoot of his show Kundali Bhagya, admits it’s a very challenging time for everyone financially. “No one is taking advantage of these difficult times. But pay cuts should be done mutually. No one should be pressurised. Reaching this position took me years and I know I deserve something. But I am also aware of the difficult time,” he shares.

Actor Sharad Malhotra feels everybody should come together – be it producers, actors or channels. “People who are offering me shows are telling me ‘Sir, abhi problem hai’. I tell them I am ready to co-operate,” he says.

While actors are not averse to a pay cut, Zaan Khan (above), who is still waiting to be paid for his last show, Hamari Bahu Silk, feels it should be fair and those who already earn way less should be spared. “My friend, also an actor, was working on ₹6,000 per day earlier. Now it has come down to ₹3,000. Then he has to give 10% in TDS and pay 20% to his coordinator, so what’s left? Do pay cuts par salary dekh ke karo,” he says.

So how will the pay cuts be determined? Majethia feels a number of things decide that. “It will vary from show to show and artiste to artiste. Pay cuts will happen mostly in the higher category, jinka bahut kam hai they may not have to go through it. On the whole, the industry can look at around 15-25%,” he says.

Benaifer Kohli, producer of the show, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, which resumed shooting, feels all sensible actors will agree to a pay cut. “There may be somebody who will argue that they are the face of the show. They have to understand when the show did well, they were given raises so this also is valid,” she says.

Not everyone agrees, though. Actor Hunar Hale says pay cuts are making things tougher for TV actors. “Despite working for 10 years, my counterparts get more than me,” she says, adding, “Now there will be budget constraints which means we will get paid way lesser than before. When you’re going out and shooting, you are putting your life at risk. And now the pay is less, there is just too much at stake.”

Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 6, 2020)

The Covid-19 situation is quite grim around the world, and people over the age of 60 are more vulnerable to its severity. Like many, for celebrities, too, making sure that they are safe is therefore, of paramount importance.

Be it older actors or celebs with elder parents, everyone is taking strict precautions.

Actor Aruna Irani, 75, isn’t taking any health supplements but is being extra careful. “I’m fine par thodi boriyat ho jaati hai ghar baithe. But, what can we do? I don’t step out at all, I don’t even go down to take my dog for a walk. We can’t act over smart,” she warns.

Veteran actor, Prem Chopra, 84, echoes similar sentiment. “I’m following everything that the government has said during this lockdown. That’s the key,” he says.

Actor Huma Qureshi, whose parents are in Delhi, shares she has strictly instructed them to not venture out of their home.

She says, “They’re being extremely careful and social distancing. There’s only so much I can do from here, but I keep telling them to be indoors and keep washing hands.”

Actor Hunar Hale, whose aged in-laws are also in Delhi, sounds worried even more after Nizamuddin West area in the capital emerged as a hotspot of coronavirus following a religious gathering.

“Me and Mayank (Gandhi; husband and actor) do video calls to check on them. We’ve told them not to go out for groceries much often, and carry sanitisers at all times. We so wish we could be there but we are here in Mumbai,” she shares.

Actor Ronit Roy says there aren’t any special precautions that he and his brother, Rohit, are taking for their mother but, “yes, we’ve have stopped her morning walks in the garden. We are all in a proper lockdown”.