Karan Johar says 'delusional' actors demand high fee despite giving Rs 5 crore opening: 'They can't have the aura...'

Karan Johar has lashed out at Bollywood stars of the younger generation, saying that their ‘delusions’ make them ask for abnormally high fees for films even as they can’t deliver the comparable box office figures. He also compared the younger stars unfavurably to superstars like Amitabh Bachchan and the three Khans saying this generations lacks the ‘aura’ of their seniors.

Johar, who heads Dharma Productions, one of the leading film production houses in the country, was speaking about the economics of film production when he discussed actors’ star power. The filmmaker appeared on the Masters’ Union podcast, where he discussed how the budget is divided among actors, directors, writers, and producers.

Talking about the stardom of today’s actors, Karan Johar said, “Any of our new generation of movie stars can’t have the aura and magic of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Mr Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Hrithik Roshan; they were the last of the Mohicans. See fame and superstardom are two different things. You can be a YouTuber and be famous. But are you a superstar? Will people stop and stand in a line just because of you? That ain’t happening anymore.”

Explaining how superstars take 60-70% of the budget but smaller actors settle for 20-30%, Johar said that often, actors ask for a higher share believing their market pull is higher. “It is harder to negotiate with the actors than with the distributors. Because there we are combating delusions. Delusion is one disease which has no vaccination. I can’t tell people the truth that you opened to this, this, this in the last four films, now why are you asking me for this? You ask me what you opened to. You are opening to Rs 5 crores, I should give you Rs. 5 crores,” he added.

Karan Johar is returning to film direction this year, for the first time in seven years. His directorial Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, stars Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi.