'Prove yourself on the big screen': Rohit Shetty after KJo, Anurag Kashyap call out actors on fees, entourage costs

As Bollywood continues to navigate choppy waters, filmmaker and producer Rohit Shetty has a word of advice for young actors. Shetty, who is known for hit franchises like Singham and Golmaal, said in a recent interview that new stars are insecure people and too involved with social media. 

In an interview with casting director Mukesh Chhabra for Mashable India, Shetty said: "The new stars are insecure people. They are too much into social media, which is not the real world. One thing about social media is that 90 per cent of followers and articles are paid."

He said that buying followers or having paid articles would not be useful after 2 years and it will always depend on the actors' films. "Ultimately, you'll have to prove yourself on the big screen and not mobile screen."

Shetty, who is riding high on the box office success of his recent release Singham Again, advised actors to not think of work as big or small. "You just have to follow your conviction. You don't have to discuss it with others."

Obsession with social media followers is not the only axe that filmmakers have to grind with actors. Filmmaker-producer Karan Johar earlier this year called out actors for charging exorbitant fees without being able to guarantee great box office opening. 

In an interaction with journalist Faye D'Souza, Johar said that actors charge any amount which the producers pay them. "You pay them, then cover the film's production and marketing costs, but if the film doesn't perform, it's a huge loss. Those movie stars asking for Rs 35 crore are opening to Rs 3.5 crore. How's that math working?" he said. 

Johar added that even though producers have to keep making movies to sustain their organisations, the industry has not found its footing. Earlier this year, Gangs of Wasseypur director Anurag Kashyap said that a lot of film's budget is spent on the entourage costs of actors. 

"You're shooting in the middle of a jungle, but one car will be sent to city three hours away specifically to get you that five-star burger you want."