Manoj Bajpayee feels those complaining about rising entourage costs make films with stars: ‘You can’t expect them to lower their fees…’

Manoj Bajpayee feels those complaining about rising entourage costs make films with stars: ‘You can’t expect them to lower their fees…’

As a dedicated follower and admirer of Manoj Bajpayee’s exceptional acting skills and his recent foray into production with Bhaiyaa Ji, I wholeheartedly appreciate his down-to-earth approach to the industry’s complexities. His humble demeanor, as demonstrated by his minimal entourage and consistent team, is a breath of fresh air in Bollywood.


Exceptional actor Manoj Bajpayee has demonstrated his acting skills brilliantly in numerous groundbreaking roles. Recently, he ventured into production with the release of “Bhaiyaa Ji.” However, there’s been ongoing debate about escalating entourage costs for stars causing financial difficulties during film productions. Offering his insights on this issue, Manoj shared his experiences and proposed a solution to navigate such challenges.

Manj Bajpayee says he doesn’t travel with large entourage 

During an interview on News 18 Showsha, Manoj Bajpayee, now delving into production through Bhaiyaa Ji, openly discussed the issue of excessive fees and demanding entourages from prominent actors. Drawing upon his personal experiences, he emphasized that he personally doesn’t require a large entourage, and added that his team has remained consistent for over two decades.

1. He disclosed that he’s still getting the same benefits as before. The actor then shared an interesting tidbit: sometimes there are films without vans, but they continue because of their love for cinema. To further emphasize, Manoj divulged that during most of the filming of Joram, they didn’t have vans or extra amenities.

Manoj Bajpayee calls the discussion on rising entourage costs ‘contradictory’

He noted that the producers who criticize are often involved in creating movies featuring prominent actors, as these films tend to receive larger budgets due to their high-profile stars. He further stated, “It’s not uncommon for a major star to come with their own benefits, so it’s not realistic to expect them to reduce their fees or perks to align with your budget.”

Manoj Bajpayee proposes private discussions with the stars on such matter 

Bajpayee explained that when producers aim to impact a star’s fame by sticking to a tight budget, they often have confidential conversations about it. As he put it, movie production takes into account the star’s market worth.

To make the most of a star’s popularity while keeping costs low, it’s essential to engage in direct negotiations with the celebrity. Public protests won’t resolve the issue; instead, a private dialogue will help you reach an agreement. I haven’t been asked to lower my fees because they’re already reasonable. We usually finish a film within 35–40 days, and everyone involved is content, he stated.

When Karan Johar slammed stars with high entourage cost

As someone who has spent decades in the movie industry, I can attest to the increasing costs associated with producing films, especially large-scale ones. The veteran filmmaker Karan Johar’s recent comments during the trailer launch of Kill highlight a growing concern among filmmakers like myself.

KJo pointed out that high-priced actors pose challenges in movie production, explaining that numerous overhead costs make it extremely difficult to produce a film. He emphasized that stars should carefully consider their demands because some producers might be willing to pay such amounts to create that specific movie. However, he warned that these practices could ultimately harm the entire film industry and its environment.

Taking a sly dig at high-cost actors, he said on a concluding note, “They have to look at that and say there can be back and deals, percentage of profit, and slabs of box office as per performance-based remuneration. All that is possible, but every actor has to really look within because a lot of them are not really in touch with reality.”

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2024-07-31 07:10