Filmmaker Karan Johar recently opened up on the inflation in the film industry and how there has been a shift in the perception of theatrical success. He stated that stars ask for a remuneration of Rs 35 crore, but their films open with Rs 3.50 crore at the box office.
Here's What He Stated
Karan Johar revealed the reason for the unpredictability in box office collections. He said that different audiences watch different types of films, and that in order to reach a large audience, they must be shown in a variety of centres.
Speaking about it, with Faye D’Souza, Karan stated, “The cost of filmmaking has increased. There has been inflation. There are about 10 viable actors in Hindi cinema, and they are all asking for the sun, moon, and earth. So, you pay them, then you pay for the film, and then the marketing expenditure comes. And then your film doesn’t do the numbers."
He further added, "Those movie stars asking for Rs 35 crore are opening to Rs 3.5 crore. How’s that math working? How do you manage all these? Yet, you have to keep making movies and creating content because you also have to feed your organization. So there’s a lot of drama, and the syntax of our cinema has not found its feet.”
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According to him, there are several syntaxes in each decade, and any film can work anytime. He said, "We are like, ‘If Jawan and Pathaan worked, should we do only action?’ Then everybody’s running that way. Then suddenly a love story would work. I feel like we are running around like headless chickens. Conviction has taken a complete beating, and it’s all about herd mentality."
He feels that the audience now wants rooted Indian cinema, and enjoy their time watching the film, without any stress. He also spoke about the international market and how things operate there. "When you talk about urban syntax and alienate Tier 2 cities and the plexes in smaller towns, then you don’t do that massive business. You can make such urban cinema but at a certain price,” he concluded.
On the work front, Karan Johar's latest produced film is the action flick Kill, starring Lakshya Lalwani and Raghav Juyal. Last year, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film is directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. It released in theatres on July 5, 2024, and opened with positive responses.
He also has another film Bad Newz, starring Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, and Ammy Virk, which will hit the screens on July 19.
