Producers sinking while stars, directors invest in villas, SUVs

Quite an unhealthy situation has emerged in 2017, since top stars, actresses and technicians have made truckload of monies, while some producers who invested money besides their sweat and blood are in financial mess due to 40-odd flops in T-town.

Many producers are disappearing from the market due to flops, while stars, directors and technicians who worked in those films are investing in properties, says producer Nattikumar. He urges Producers’ Guild to step in to cut costs and safeguard the interests of investors. Even some thematic films like ‘Darsakudu’ and ‘Kadhali’ tanked at the box-office

“The losses would work around Rs 150 crore in 2017 alone which is unhealthy and bound to push industry to the brink of disaster,’ warns producer C N Rao, who feels that only superstars from Pawan Kalyan to Mahesh Babu, from Prabhas to Ram Charan, Jr NTR to Ravi Teja along with actresses like Kaajal to Tammanah, Shruti Hassan to Rakul Preet Singh have fattened their bank balances, while producers who made films have almost disappeared or reeling under financial mess.

“With above-mentioned stars charging anywhere between Rs 12 to Rs 20 crore per film, the actresses are pocketing Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore and top-notch directors are charging Rs 6 to Rs 12 crore and sent the budgets on a tailspin.

Hence, the burden of flop is carried by producer, but stars, actress, director who worked in the same film are building villas, swanky cars, what a pitiable situation” rues another producer Radha Rajeswari. However, distributor Bharat Bushan adds ‘Many distributors have shut shop due to these disasters.

Now only third party buyers are around, while regular distributors have slowed down due to heavy cost per area, which has become difficult to recover, even if the film is a hit, imagine if it goes kaput,’ he adds

For instance, a top producer, who made big films with superstars’ had to sell off his palatial house and another producer is making films with small heroes and some others are scurrying for cover from financiers. “Some stars treat some producers as Mr. Moneybags who don’t even know the script of the film as they leave it to star and director, and pathetically wait outside caravans of stars ” laments producer Vallabhaneni Ashok.

By BVS Prakash