Why Are Movie Stars So GREEDY?

'I have heard big stars, who are a part of Gen Z, demand not only food of their choice but also insist on taking food home for their family.'
'And I am talking about stars who charge anything from Rs 40 crore to Rs 100 crore.'

Astronomical star fees apart, Hindi film producers are reeling under the impact of star demands like multiple vanity vans, a gym on the sets, petrol money for transportation, food of the star's choice, and meals for the staff.

"That is just beginning," film-maker Rajiv Rai tells Subhash K Jha.

"I have heard big stars, who are a part of Gen Z, demand not only food of their choice but also insist on taking food home for their family. And I am talking about stars who charge anything from Rs 40 crore to Rs 100 crore (Rs 400 million to Rs 1 billion).

"My father (Producer Gulshan Rai) never had to face such starry demands although he worked with the biggest superstars of his time like Amitabh Bachchan, Dev Anand and Hema Malini. There were never any demands outside the contact," adds Rajeev Rai.

"Today's average producer has to even pay the laundry bills of certain stars! Stars treat producers like money bags, meant to be dug into for every expense. At the end of the ordeal, the producer gets empty theatres," he adds.

It was for this reason that Rajiv Rai stopped making films for 24 years.

"I returned to direction with Zora with new faces. It was swamped by War 2 a few days after release. And what happened to that? I rest my case," he says.

"A vanity van for the artiste is essential to facilitate and convenience the person. Beyond that, it is a mere display of complexes, egos and extravagances at others' cost," feels film-maker Suneel Darshan.

Director Sudhir Mishra feels producers are to blame for the growing star demands.

"A vanity van is a good thing if it is brought to locations where there are no changing rooms or toilets. There should be a separate van for female assistants on set; they should not be forced to use male toilets. That some stars call for five-six-seven vanity vans is a sign of the weakness of the production house, who allow it and then complain."

"If a star halts shooting to get a favourite ice cream from the other end of town, he or she better pay for it -- the ice cream and the delay. I don't have the patience with these tantrums," declares Director Raj Kumar Santoshi.

"Some of them did make unreasonable demands. I never worked with them again," he adds.

"Not enough can be said about the vanity van culture. For me, it was more like I want to make what I want to make and when I want to make," says Vikram Bhatt. "I don't have the patience to wait endlessly for stars."