Talk around Tollywood star heroes and their growing salaries has once again come into focus, with producer Dil Raju speaking candidly in a recent podcast about how steep pay demands are pushing film budgets higher. He said he usually explains the market reality to actors and works only with those who understand the limitations.
Dil Raju noted that top stars often cannot reduce their fees because of prestige concerns. “I try to explain the current market situation to heroes and tell them what I can pay. I will only work with those who understand me. Top heroes can’t decrease their remunerations due to prestige issues. They might feel their image will be affected if they do that. For example, in a Rs. 300 crore budget film, 35-40% of it goes to the hero,” said Dil Raju.
He also pointed to Bollywood as a model worth watching. “I see very good potential in Hindi cinema right now. Most Bollywood stars are now operating on profit-sharing models. This system is yet to be followed in Telugu cinema. Almost every star in Hindi has accepted a share in the profits rather than upfront salaries.”
Citing Akshay Kumar as an example, Dil Raju said, “Once, Akshay Kumar garu used to charge Rs. 130 crores. Market corrections happened, and he is now adopting a profit-sharing model. As a producer, I am very happy. We will recover the costs easily. There is responsibility and accountability.” His remarks highlight a changing industry trend.
