Zoya Akhtar chides Karan Johar for paying stars high fees in the past, he says ‘I have stopped’

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar in a recent director’s roundtable chided Karan Johar for skewing industry trends by giving into stars’ high demands in the past.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter Indiareacting to stars such as Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn’s films opening to Rs 2 crore or Rs 3 crore, Karan said, “Everybody has to look at their remuneration levels.” Zoya then interjected, and said, “Karan, you just have to stop paying them.” To which the Rocky and Rani's love story director said that he has.

He added, “I don’t pay anymore. I’ve said, ‘Thank you very much, I can’t pay you’. I am not paying anyone. What were your last couple of films? How much have you opened to? What right do you have to ask me for this number? I produced a small film called KillI spent the money on it because it was a high-concept film with a rank newcomer. Every star that we went to asked me for the same money as the budget. When the budget is Rs 40 crore, how can you ask for Rs 40 crore? Are you guaranteeing me that the film will do Rs 120 crore? There’s no guarantee.”