The rising cost of making a film has now become a hot topic in industry circles. While there are different opinions on what is driving production budgets higher, the discussion often comes back to one major factor that is star remuneration.
A significant section of the industry believes that the huge fees being paid to leading actors are one of the primary reasons film budgets are escalating. However, producer Naga Vamsi has a different take on the issue.
Speaking on a Podcast, Vamsi pointed his fingers towards the rules and working structure of film workers federations. He said film workers federations are one of the major factor contributing to the rising cost of production. According to his observations, the issue goes beyond the salaries of stars, with several federation-related practices adding to the overall financial burden on a film.
Vamsi explained the situation with a simple example. According to him, if a director wants to bring 10 dancers from Mumbai for a particular requirement, the production is still expected to engage a corresponding number of federation workers, whether they are actually needed for the job or not. His argument is that the producer ends up paying for manpower that the film may not require.
Naga Vamsi’s comments bring a different perspective to the ongoing debate over why filmmaking has become increasingly expensive. controlling film budgets may require changes not only in star remuneration but also in the way the industry’s existing working rules function.
