Kunal Kohli Says Actor's Crew Calls the Shots in Film Decisions: 'Entourage Has To First Agree'

Kunal Kohli, known for directing hits like Hum Tum and Fanaa, spoke to Indianexpress.com about how an actor’s entourage, including managers and agents, now plays a big role in deciding which films they choose. He noted that earlier, it was a joke that the heroine’s mother had to agree, but now it’s the whole crew that needs to say yes before the actor does.

He said, “Earlier, there used to be a joke on sets that the heroine’s mother has to say yes but today it is the actor’s crew, which has to say yes. The entourage has to say yes– which includes everyone, from the managers, agents, makeup men, hairdressers. That whole entourage has to first agree and then the actor (says yes). That’s the reason why.. Look at the films we are making, are we even surprised?”

Today, the filmmaker noted a major change: films now depend on actors’ approval, not just directors’ confidence. It’s a shift where actors decide what gets made, impacting budgets and production, unlike before when directors had more control over their projects. “That is a huge paradigm shift in the content that is being made. The actor is the deciding factor, whether you get the budget, get a producer or whether you get to make your film. It is all dependent on them, which wasn’t the case earlier, where the director would decide the kind of films he wanted to make, and he would make it,” he said. He added that today, regrettably, only a few directors can do that. For most, they have to wait for the actor’s approval, which can depend on various factors. “Maybe just a Sanjay Leela Bhansali, rest everyone else has to wait for that nod from the actor. That is also sometimes not just dependent on what you have done, what your past is but on multiple other factors. Their reference points are not Indian cinema,” he added.

Recently, during a recent chat on Twin Encounter’s episode on Chinki Minki’s YouTube channel, Farah Khan also talked about changes in Bollywood and her wish for one particular change. When asked about it, Farah didn’t hold back discussing the growing costs of actor entourages in the film industry, where it’s common for them to bring along at least nine people to set.