Entourage costs of Bollywood stars is an issue being spoken about for a while now. Many industry insiders have complained about how it adds to the film’s budget and is a burden on producers. The debate gained further momentum after the makers of Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Varu Prasad Garu disclosed that while the film was reportedly mounted on a budget of around Rs 200 crore, its actual production cost stood at only about Rs 25 crore. Reports also claimed that Chiranjeevi’s remuneration alone exceeded Rs 75 crore.Now veteran actor Sudhir Pandey has now weighed in on the discussion, reflecting on the unequal treatment of leading stars and character actors on film sets. He even suggested that the money spent on bottled drinking water during a shoot could be enough to bankroll a small-budget film.Pandey pointed out that supporting actors are rarely provided with vanity vans comparable to those allotted to top stars. He said in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, “It is very rare for character actors like us to get a large vanity van. Usually, we are given a small one. Stars who arrive with an entire convoy look very fake and made-up. It feels like a waste of money. If they are spending from their own pocket, that’s different. But if producers are paying for it, then it is simply a waste. The amount of money wasted there is enough for someone to make a small-budget film.” He further remarked, “You won’t believe it, but the amount spent on Bisleri water alone can be enough to make a small-budget film.”When asked if he himself maintains a personal entourage, Pandey explained that he does not. “I don’t have a team. There was one time when I was unwell and had to take my meals and medicines on time, so I kept a boy with me to help. I pay him myself. A couple of producers did offer to bear the expense, but I always told them that if they couldn’t, I would pay for it. That has never been an issue.”Speaking about the disparity between stars and supporting actors, Pandey admitted he has come to accept it as the norm within the industry. “You can’t do anything about it. It is part of this futile culture—I use the word ‘futile’ deliberately. We claim to be democratic, but we are far from it. Whoever reaches a position of power in any field starts dictating terms, and people simply follow. You can’t challenge them.”Interestingly, Aamir Khan had earlier spoken out against the same culture of producer-funded personal expenses and oversized entourages. Appearing on trade analyst Komal Nahta’s YouTube show Game Changers, Aamir argued that while stars deserve respect, they should never misuse their position by placing unnecessary financial burdens on producers.“Stars deserve respect, but not to the extent that they start troubling producers,” Aamir said. Recalling the beginning of his career nearly 37 years ago, the actor revealed he was taken aback after discovering that producers routinely paid for a star’s personal staff.“There was a system where the producer would pay for the star’s driver and helper on set. I found it very strange. I thought, ‘The driver and helper work for me, so why is the producer paying them?’ If the producer is paying for my personal staff, does that mean he should also pay my children’s school fees? Where does it stop?”Aamir explained that he put an end to the practice for himself right from the start.“I believe producers should only spend on things genuinely required for the film—makeup, hair, costumes. But how are my personal driver or helper contributing to the film? They work for me, so it is my responsibility to pay them, especially when I am earning well. From day one, I made it clear that none of my producers would pay for my driver or helper. It has been 37 years now.”He also expressed concern over what he believes has become a widespread trend among younger actors in the industry.“I hear that stars today don’t even pay their own drivers and instead ask producers to bear the cost. It doesn’t stop there. Producers are paying for their spot boys, trainers and cooks as well. I’ve even heard that actors now have live kitchens on set and expect producers to foot the bill. They also demand multiple vanity vans—for kitchens, gyms and other purposes.”Questioning the justification behind such demands, Aamir concluded: “Where are you spending all the money you’re earning? These stars are making crores and still aren’t capable of paying for their own needs? I find it extremely strange. It is very sad and harmful for the industry. I say this very strongly—it is a shame that even today there are actors who are being unfair to their producers and their films. When you can afford a certain lifestyle, why are you making the producer pay for it? Why should a producer provide you with six vanity vans when all you need is one for makeup?”
