The crippling recession, plus the big terror blow that Mumbai suffered on 26/11 has made the spiralling star-prices finally scale down. And Sanjay is the first A-list star to take the initiative.
Sanjay, who had recently increased his remuneration by a good 60 per cent to Rs.15 crore (Rs.150 million), thanks to the initiative taken by his friend and adviser Suniel Shetty, sees no wisdom in unnecessarily charging a prohibitive fee that brings projects down even before they hits the theatres.
When contacted, Sanjay told IANS: "Recession has hit everyone big time. We all need to understand the seriousness of the situation and co-operate. We simply have to lower our prices."
Sanjay admits the decision was taken after the terror attacks on the city that claimed 172 lives.
"After the attack on Mumbai, people have cut down drastically on their visits to shopping malls and movie theatres. So the situation has got even worse. We in the film industry are part of one big family and we've to make our family survive this worst-ever crisis," Sanjay said.
Added a close friend: "The entire industry is hit by an economic recession. Sanju has decided to make his remuneration flexible now. Sanju's fee is now variable. It would depend on the nature of the project and how much the producer could afford to pay him. Naturally, the big prestigious banners will be expected to pay more. But Sanjay is also eager to work in a more innovative kind of cinema and would happily lower his price for roles that challenge him as an actor."
{{/usCountry}}Added a close friend: "The entire industry is hit by an economic recession. Sanju has decided to make his remuneration flexible now. Sanju's fee is now variable. It would depend on the nature of the project and how much the producer could afford to pay him. Naturally, the big prestigious banners will be expected to pay more. But Sanjay is also eager to work in a more innovative kind of cinema and would happily lower his price for roles that challenge him as an actor."
{{/usCountry}}