'Bollywood Actors Triple Their Fees, Increase Entourage After A Rs 500 Crore Hit': Hair Stylist

For a long time now, a discussion regarding Bollywood actors’ high fees and entourage costs has been making headlines. Over the last few months, several people have claimed that these two aspects are also

responsible for why moving making isn’t very profitable today. Amid all this, hair stylist Aalim Hakim has also claimed that Bollywood celebrities increase their fees and even entourage costs after they deliver a hit movie.

“Mostly, in the industry, what people do is increase their fees based on the value of the actor. If someone is a superstar, then their entourage’s fees will be high, and if another star doesn’t have that much box-office pull, their entourage will be cheaper. But I personally feel you should charge the same fees for everybody, whether it’s a superstar or a newcomer. When you buy an iPhone, the price remains the same for both the rich and the poor. So why does an entourage double or triple their fees once their star delivers a Rs 500 crore hit? As if they themselves delivered a Rs 500 crore hit! A star can increase their own fees, but the staff should get just a 5–10% hike every year, like it happens in the corporate sector,” he told SCREEN.

The hairstylist further claimed that celebrities today quote an “unethical” amount while signing a film, which is “wrong”. “Whoever is doing such things is doing wrong. I have never done such a thing in my life. We have a standardised price for every actor; that’s why we have survived for so long and our reputation is so strong. Because we have never quoted an unethical amount. Things get ugly when someone quotes an unethical price. It bad-mouths the profession,” he added.

These comments come at a time when Bollywood actors are also being slammed for their rising entourage costs. Recently, Karan Johar also expressed concerns regarding actors’ high entourage. The filmmaker explained that it is not a financial issue but an “ethical” one. He expressed that the issue needs attention because actors also need to show some grace now.

“I have an ethical problem with entourages, not a financial one. We set a fixed budget for such needs. But if an actor wants anything beyond that, be it a personal trainer or specific dietary requirements, they should cover the cost themselves. I will pay for it only when it’s essential for the film, like in a sports drama requiring a certain physique,” KJo told Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changer.