In June, acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap voiced his frustration over the poor performance of big-budget films at the box office. He attributed these failures to the extravagant demands and high-maintenance entourages of actors. According to Kashyap, a significant portion of a film’s budget is wasted on fulfilling the whims of stars rather than being invested in the actual filmmaking process. Entertainment journalist Justin Rao and actor Abhishek Banerjee also alleged the same.
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Kashyap explained, “When we make a film, we’re working, we’re creating something. It’s not a holiday, it’s not a picnic. A lot of money that is spent doesn’t go into making the film. It goes into the paraphernalia, it goes into the entourage. You’re shooting in the middle of a jungle, but one car will be sent to the city three hours away specifically to get you that five-star burger you want,” Hindustan Times quoted him saying.
In response to Kashyap’s remarks, celebrity makeup artist Shaan Muttathil, known for working with stars like Jacqueline Fernandez and recently Radhika Merchant at the NMACC opening, defended the necessity of star entourages. Muttathil argued that Kashyap’s perspective is limited to his own experiences and projects.

“What Anurag sir is saying reflects his world, his bubble. But there’s another world too,” Muttathil countered, reported HT.
“Will this Anurag sir, after so many hits, go and do a movie for what a newcomer director will do? No. Of course, there’s a lot of jealousy, and I completely understand. Because we do get paid more than managers, than first ADs, and people in the camera department.”
Muttathil further critiqued Kashyap’s style of filmmaking, suggesting that the director’s projects are low-budget and simplistic.
He went on to add that Anurag Kashyap is making films set in “some village with a heroine in a cotton saree of Rs 250 who wakes up and cries.” Shaan says it doesn’t mean the entourage can reduce their cost.
What are your views on Bollywood’s budget allocation and the true cost of star power?