High price for comedy

Comedians in Telugu films might be triggering uproarious laughter among audiences but they are leaving their producers in tears through their off-screen antics. Tollywood sources said that producers are at their wits’ end with comedy actors such as Bramhanandam, Ali, Sunil, Venumadhav, and Raghubabu charging nothing less than Rs 1 lakh a day. They are said to be the reason behind the producers’ council’s demand for stars to cut their wages. “It is not the heroes who are a bane but these comedians and character artistes,” said a source. It may sound incredible but Bramhanandam reportedly charges Rs 3 lakh per day now and turns up for the shoot only for four hours.

This comedian is a ‘villain’ as far as producers are concerned, since he also demands that food from star hotels be served to him on the sets. He is also notorious for not turning up for shoots on time, charging extra for promotions and not dubbing for the movie until the complete payment is made. “His rates are exorbitant,” says Natti Kumar, a producer who plans to convince others too to ban the comedian unless he stops charging per day. “He works between 11 am and 5 pm, sleeps for two hours in between and gives us nightmares with his culinary demands. We have decided not to hire Bramhandam hereafter,” he adds. Interestingly Bramhanandam claims that he hiked his pay to reduce the rush of producers who want to cast him in their films. “I recently increased my remuneration as too many people want to do films with me.”

It is not Brahmanandam alone who charges per day. Thirteen-year-old comedian Bharat charges nothing less than Rs 50,000 per day. Actors Raghubabu, Kota Srinivasa Rao, and Hema supposedly charge Rs 1 lakh per day. “These comedians are also highly undisciplined,” says Mohan Vadlapatla, member of the Producers’ Council Committee that is drafting cost cutting measures in Tollywood. “The only way out is to refuse the existing comedians a role and encourage new talent,” he says. The council is likely to bring in a regulation banning charging on a daily basis and enforcing 12 hours work per day.

However, comedians refute the allegations and say that it is the ‘demand’ of the artiste that decides remuneration. “Remuneration of these actors is a small factor,” says AVS, comedian and general secretary of Movie Artistes’ Association. “It is lack of planning in the script that is increasing the production cost. It is unfair to blame actors.”

Comedian Raghubabu who reportedly takes Rs 1 lakh also denies that he fleeces producers. “My dad was an actor and we produced about 70 movies,” he says. “I have made films too. We totally understand the troubles of the producer and don’t trouble them.”