Actor Vikram Kapadia from Kapoor and Sons discloses that Dharma Productions and YRF pay slightly below market rate, suggesting it is a common practice for all.
Filmmakers have frequently criticized certain actors for demanding higher fees, especially amid the ongoing debate in Bollywood. However, actor Vikram Kapadia, known for his role in Kapoor and Sons and having worked with major production houses, revealed in a recent discussion that companies like Dharma Productions and Yash Raj Films often pay less while emphasizing the opportunity to work with them due to their reputation. Despite this, Kapadia acknowledged that these production houses do pay their actors promptly.
Vikram Kapadia has appeared in popular films and TV series such as Force 2, The Night Manager, Kapoor and Sons, and Scam 1992. In an interview with Bollyywood Now, he shared his experiences working with Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions, two renowned production houses with a long history of making successful films in the industry.
He mentioned that while actors may face challenges with payment, bigger production houses like Balaji Telefilms and Yash Raj Films are known to pay on time. However, he pointed out that Dharma Productions and Yash Raj Films tend to have a superiority complex based on their legacy and standing in the industry.
As a result, they may offer lower pay under the guise of providing an opportunity to work with their prestigious production house. Kapadia remarked, “Yash Raj and Dharma have this ego that we are Yash Raj and Dharma, so we will pay you a little less, but you should be happy because we are paying you. I think they do that with everyone, and that’s why actors are concerned.”
Despite this, Kapadia mentioned that Yash Raj Films paid him well and he had a positive experience working with them. He also noted that they were efficient in ensuring timely payments to artists without any delays or issues.
Recently, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions made a significant deal by selling a 50 percent stake to Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India. Poonawalla aims to expand his presence in the entertainment industry through his company Serene Productions.
Established in 1976 by Yash Johar, Dharma Productions has produced successful films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Agneepath. Their upcoming projects include Shankara starring Akshay Kumar and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari starring Varun Dhawan.
On the other hand, Yash Raj Films, founded in 1970 by Yash Chopra, is known for films like Kabhie Kabhie, Mohabbatein, and the Dhoom series. They are currently working on projects like Sultan and Pathaan.
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