Newbies opposite superstars: Cost cutting in B-town

Filmmakers say cutting corners is the least of concerns for big-budget films. Casting is dictated by the script and the choice of newcomers is an intelligent and welcome move .

In Shah Rukh Khan’s last release Fan there were two Shah Rukh Khans. But the leading ladies were virtual unknown – Waluscha D’Souza and Shreya Pilgaonkar. In his next release Raees, Shah Rukh has again not opted for a well-known actress from Bollywood, but a Pakistani actress, Mahira Khan.

In Dangal, Aamir Khan doesn’t have a leading lady while Hrithik Roshan’s romantic lead in Mahenjo Daro is newcomer Pooja Hedge.

According to the head honcho of a leading production house, this is a cost cutting ploy. “A-list Bollywood heroes charge anything from '20 crore upward. Producers have no option but to economize with the rest of the budget by casting actors who don’t charge that much.”

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta who normally works with actors like Rajkummar Rao and Manoj Bajpai, meanwhile feels big-budget films don’t need to cut corners. “I think it is more about freshness than cost. Also, I think it is because there are professional casting directors like Mukesh Chhabra, Honey Trehan, etc. who put together the cast based on characterisation than ‘face value’.”

Filmmaker Rahul Dhalokia, who has cast a new face opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees, feels casting is dictated by the script. “It depends on the script and how the director and scriptwriter sees the character. It probably works to the advantage of the film in most cases.”

Trade expert Taran Adarsh also feels casting relatively less popular faces with superstars is more a creative than a financial decision. “I don’t think it’s a cost-cutting exercise. Casting not too well-known or popular names in a film could be due to various reasons. It could be that the makers want a fresh face or with the main lead actor allotting bulk dates to complete the project, you need co-actors who can work out the dates suiting the main actor.” Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt meanwhile feels casting two big stars together could be problematic. “More than cost cutting, it is easier to make the film if there is a less popular co-star with a big star. It becomes virtually impossible to match the availability of big stars over long periods. Also, sometimes the star-cast dictates a lesser-known face opposite a big star. Satte Pe Satta is a case in point. Lagaan is another one.”