Latest news with #AnandPandit
Mint
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Independent producers, boutique studios veer towards regional cinema for big gains
Small and medium-scale boutique studios and independent film producers who primarily churned out low-budget Hindi movies are now turning to regional languages for bigger gains. Producers Anand Pandit and Vinod Bhanushali and Saregama-owned Yoodlee Films are among those betting on Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi films, where the star fee is lower and the movie-going culture is robust. Actor John Abraham, who produced the Marathi film Savita Damodar Paranjpe, has expressed interest in backing more films in regional languages. This translates into more reasonable investments and predictable returns at the box office than in Bollywood, which many of these names had first tapped. 'Regional crews by and large manage their time and resources very well. There is frugality and also sensible spending where needed. Because production budgets and marketing spends are cost-effective, the RoI (return on investment) is higher as well," Pandit said. Also Read | Bollywood fables: Hindi filmmakers take a fancy to folklore for mass connect with audiences He recently backed three Gujarati films – Tron Ekka, Fakt Mahilao Maate and Fakt Purusho Maate – all of which managed an RoI of more than 400%, which is unheard of in Hindi cinema. Pandit referred to regional cinema's rooted, audience-first approach to filmmaking. Franchises such as Baahubali, Pushpa and KGF have clicked big time not because of their big budgets but their storytelling. 'This model obviously makes more business sense," Pandit said, adding that he's also working with Punjabi and Kannada talent. Hindi films had a 40% share of India's box-office collections in 2024, followed by Telugu films at 20%, according to a report by Ormax Media Pvt Ltd. Experts including Pandit pointed out that there are various distinct flavours and characteristic styles and post the OTT boom, every language has found its audience. Streaming platforms have reported audiences in the Hindi-speaking belt watching Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali and other language content with subtitles or dubs over the pandemic. Global potential While the challenge to tell stories that resonate with diverse demographics remains, the more local the content is, the more global it can potentially be. On the other hand, the Hindi film business remains fraught with uncertainty. Even big star films such as Salman Khan-starrer Sikandar find limited appeal. Streaming platforms face pressure on profitability, impacting their bullishness and spending in the country, which has led to a slowdown in commissioning content. Also Read | The rise of Hollywood-style cinematic universes in southern films On the music front, a decline in listenership on audio streaming platforms and falling revenue for Hindi movie tracks have led to hard negotiations between producers and music labels. All of this while regional cinema remains limited in scale but robust in returns. 'More filmmakers are realising that mass-market cinema is big business and regional language audiences are more loyal compared to Bollywood, which is primarily focused on multiplex cinema," said Yusuf Shaikh, business head of feature films at production and distribution firm Percept Pictures. Shaikh was quick to point out that streaming platforms are not as keen to acquire films in regional languages like Punjabi and Marathi after their theatrical release. 'A lot of smaller studios and producers try to bundle a few films together, including regional titles, to offer a larger bouquet to streaming platforms. While some are only dipping their toes to test how regional films fare, it has to be seen if this is a strategy sustainable over a long period despite the low costs and need for experimentation," film producer Shariq Patel said. Also Read | Southern stars turn to OTT as medium gains strength
India.com
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Amitabh Bachchan's biggest fan, came to Mumbai after watching…, became his neighbour, sold his Rs 50 crore house to Big B, his name is…
The relationship between stars and their fans is the most interesting and emotional part of the world of films. It is not just a relationship between an actor and audience, but it also includes faith, passion, dreams and one-sided love. Then, considering your favourite actor as God and building his temple or considering his sorrow as your own and praying to God for him. Amitabh Bachchan is the megastar of Bollywood, whose fan following is in millions. Do you know about that fan of Amitabh, who has attracted people with films like 'Deewar', 'Sholay', 'Zanjeer' and 'Trishul', who was so inspired after watching his film 'Trishul' that he decided to open his own construction company and came to Mumbai from Ahmedabad to do what he thought. 'Main aaj bhi phenke hue paise nahin uthaata…', 'Jinake ghar sheeshe ke hote hain, vo doosaron par patthar nahin phenkate!' These hit dialogues are from Amitabh Bachchan's 1978 superhit film 'Trishul'. Salim-Javed's magical writing did wonders. Starring stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Rakhee and Waheeda Rehman, this film did wonders at the box office. After watching this film, Amitabh Bachchan's fan from Ahmedabad reached Mumbai directly. This fan is none other than real estate developer and producer Anand Pandit. His angry young man avatar in films like 'Deewar', 'Sholay', 'Zanjeer' and 'Trishul' inspired many of his fans. One of them is Anand Pandit. In a conversation with Screen, film producer Anand Pandit told how Amitabh Bachchan's 1978 film 'Trishul' inspired him to leave his hometown, Ahmedabad and move to Mumbai. He was 15 years old at that time. Producer Anand Pandit said, 'I have grown up watching Amitabh Bachchan's films. His film 'Trishul' inspired me a lot and inspired me to leave Ahmedabad and go to Mumbai and I also wanted to make my own Shanti Construction Company and luckily today I have made Lotus Developers. His character Vijay inspired me to reach where I am today. This is all because of Bachchan sahab.' As years passed, Anand became Amitabh Bachchan's neighbour. Moreover, he also bought the bungalow right behind 'Jalsa', which he eventually sold to Amitabh in 2013 for Rs 50 crore. He further said, 'I feel fortunate to know him so closely. He treats me like his family. He always stands by me whenever I need him. I had a bungalow next to his and he wanted to expand his bungalow. He requested me to sell my property to him and I happily did so.' According to media reports, Anand Pandit bought the bungalow as an investment in 2010. He lives in the 'Janki Kutir' complex, less than 50 metres from 'Jalsa'. Anand Pandit had once told how he was one of the lakhs of people who flocked to Mr Bachchan's bungalow to catch a glimpse of him. Now the two share a very good relationship.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shah Rukh Khan to Salman Khan to Hrithik Roshan: How are Bollywood stars paid for movies? Producer on fee structure
Bollywood's obsession with stardom has long influenced the industry's financial structure, often sidelining writers and content creators. The spotlight has recently shifted to actor fees and the disproportionate pay scale between superstars and supporting artists. In a recent conversation with Screen , veteran producer Anand Pandit shed light on the inner workings of actor remuneration in the Hindi film industry, revealing just how skewed the system has become. Only Handful of Stars Command Big Money According to Pandit, despite India having a population of over 140 crore, there are only around ten Bollywood actors who are actually 'sellable.' These few names dominate the industry and demand fees in hundreds of crores. 'It is a simple case of demand and supply,' Pandit said, noting that producers pay high amounts if they believe a film will recover its investment because of a superstar's presence. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan was reportedly paid between Rs 150 to Rs 250 crore for Jawan, while Allu Arjun allegedly received Rs 300 crore for Pushpa 2. Aamir Khan, too, made headlines for charging Rs 100 to Rs 275 crore for Laal Singh Chaddha, a film that flopped. Interestingly, Aamir later clarified that he didn't take any money after the film failed. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions and subtitles off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cara Membantu Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo Fees Should Be Linked to Film's Performance Pandit argued for a performance-based compensation model. He believes an actor's fee should depend on a film's box office collection, especially during its opening weekend. 'If a star charges an 'x' amount, he should also be responsible to bring back that amount or more for the producer in the first few days,' he explained. Currently, many actors operate on a hybrid model—charging a base fee along with a profit-sharing agreement. 'There's generally a minimum fee set for actors plus a share in the profit,' Pandit confirmed. Though he refrained from naming them, he acknowledged that several big stars have adopted this model. Urging that the industry needs to invest in writers, Pandit expressed concern about the lack of originality in Bollywood. 'We've started spending money on the film's look and star value rather than on the writers,' he said, adding that there was a time when names like Salim-Javed sold films based on their scripts alone. Who is Anand Pandit? Anand Pandit is a prominent Indian film producer, distributor, and real estate developer. He is the founder of Anand Pandit Motion Pictures, a studio behind several Bollywood releases like Total Dhamaal, Sarkar 3, The Big Bull, and Chehre. Apart from Hindi films, he has also made significant contributions to regional cinema, producing successful Gujarati films such as Fakt Mahilao Maate and Tron Ekka, as well as Marathi titles like Baap Manus and Victoria. Having entered the film business in 2000, Pandit has expanded his presence across languages—including the Kannada film Kabzaa, which also released in Hindi. In addition to cinema, he runs Lotus Developers, a real estate firm based in Mumbai that focuses on luxury projects. With over two decades of experience in production, financing, and distribution, Pandit continues to stay active in both the entertainment and property sectors, balancing mainstream projects with regional and historical films like Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, based on the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Anand Pandit explains the fee structure of Bollywood superstars: ‘In a country of 140 crore, only 10 actors are sellable'
In the last couple of years, Bollywood has been questioned in terms of star fees, their entourage and lack of original content. These topics often made headlines with stars charging in crores, producers complaining about their expensive entourage and writers crying for basic pay leading to content crisis. Amid all these discussions, real estate developer and producer Anand Pandit explained the structure of fees of these stars and the lack of originality in the industry despite repeated box office debacles. 'A star's fees should be linked to the money a film collects in its first weekend,' said Anand Pandit in an exclusive interview with SCREEN. When Shah Rukh Khan made a comeback with Jawan in 2023, it was reported that the actor charged somewhere between Rs 150 crore to Rs 250 crore for the film. Similarly, it was speculated that actor Allu Arjun was paid Rs 300 crore for his film Pushpa 2. When Laal Singh Chadha flopped, Aamir Khan made headlines for reportedly charging between Rs 100 crore to Rs 275 crore for the film (He, however, later claimed he was never paid a penny for the film after it didn't work at the box office). These reports sparked debates around stars blindly charging fees for their work while supporting actors struggling for bear minimum. Previously, in a report by Indian Express, it was found out that while these stars were paid in crores, an actor in supporting cast role was offered Rs 6,000 for a day's job. Films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was all over the news for spending over Rs 400 crore in the making of the film. It collected Rs 111 crore. Anand Pandit shared how it is a task to be a producer in today's time. ALSO READ | Aditya Chopra: The businessman Yash Chopra never was 'We have started spending money on the look of the film and stars of the film rather than spending money on writers. There was a time when films sold solely because they were written by Salim-Javed. They had their names on the hoarding boards. Today, we never see any writer's name anywhere. We will have to put a lot of money on writers. We will have to go back to that era where we can give importance to these writers so that the original content returns.' With films like Laal Singh Chaddha (a remake of Forrest Gump), and Baby John (a remake of Tamil film Theri) miserably failing at the box office, Anand Pandit said Bollywood is only focusing on producing content inspired by Korean, Spanish and South Indian films. 'People are not liking these remakes. If we put more efforts on writers and pay them better, I think things will get better.' The producer also discussed the fee structure of these stars and claimed there is a need of change in the system of paying actors. 'When it comes to fees of these stars, we all know that in a country with a population of over 140 crore people, there are only about ten of them who are sellable. So they are commanding their own prices. It is always a demand and supply. I won't comment on that they exorbitantly charging. If you afford them and if you think your film can make money after paying them. You go with them. But, I do believe that we should create a system where if a star charges an 'x' amount, he should be responsible upto certain extent to bring that much money back to the producer on the opening day or weekend. His fees should be linked depending on the film's first weekend collection. It will make actors more responsible.' When asked how are these fees decided. Anand shared, 'Based on your story and vision, you have this set of actors who you think will fit in the story. Then comes budget. We decide the scale of the film and the budget needed for that. If your budget exceeds then you eliminate some actors who may not fit within the budget. And eventually you reach out to those actors and try to negotiate with them.' He added, 'It is always demand and supply. If the actor is willing to work with your production house or director, or story, he will definitely discount his price or he will give some kind of concession on his price. This is how the fees is decided.' In between there were also reports that suggested that big names like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan work on the profit sharing model where they charge a certain percent of their fees and increase their share in the profit sharing margin. Anand confirmed the news and explained, 'There is generally a minimum fee set for actors. Plus profit margin or share in the project. I am not sure who is already on that model but I have heard, and cannot disclose it because of the secrecy. But yes, there are bigger stars who have adopted this model. It is a very wise thing.' Talking to CNBC-TV, Siddharth Roy Kapur shared that the current trend involves a two-part compensation model. 'A fixed fee built into the project's cost and a share in the profits. By lowering the upfront fee, the overall budget becomes more manageable. This is becoming common in the industry.' Jyothi Jha works as a Copy Editor at the Indian Express. She brings in more than 5 years of experience where she has covered Entertainment majorly for TV9, NDTV and Republic Media. Apart from Entertainment, she has been an anchor, copy editor and managed production team under the Politics and Daily News segment. She's passionate about Journalism and it has always been her first choice, she believes in what George Orwell had once said, " Journalism is printing what someone else does not want you to do, rest everything is public relations". ... Read More
News18
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Shah Rukh Khan Took Vaastu Advice Before Pathaan And Jawan: 'It Worked For Him'
Last Updated: Shah Rukh Khan's friend and producer Anand Pandit claims he offered Vaastu-based spiritual guidance to SRK before the release of Pathaan and Jawan. After facing a turbulent patch with back-to-back flops like Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017) and Zero (2018), Shah Rukh Khan took a step back from acting—a break that stretched over five years due to the pandemic. But when he returned, he came back stronger than ever. With Pathaan and Jawan collectively raking in over ₹2000 crore worldwide, SRK reminded the world why he remains Bollywood's ultimate superstar. But what changed? According to veteran producer and close friend Anand Pandit, a little bit of Vaastu may have helped shift the energy. Speaking to SCREEN, Anand Pandit opened up about how Shah Rukh reached out to him during this transitional phase. 'When we became close, I started guiding him about a special form of Vaastu Shastra based on energy. We made certain energy adjustments in his home, and I'm glad it worked for him. He is humble enough to acknowledge it publicly," Pandit said, confirming that the actor consulted him before Pathaan and Jawan. This aligns with a viral video from Pandit's 60th birthday bash in 2023, where SRK had joked, 'He's my spiritual guru. When one of my films flops, I call him to fix my house. He moves a mirror around, and the next thing you know, my films start working." In 2023, SRK also starred in Dunki, which received mixed reviews but went on to earn ₹470 crore globally. With three commercial successes in a row, the superstar seems to have reclaimed his box-office throne. Now, all eyes are on King—an upcoming action-thriller that pairs Shah Rukh with his daughter Suhana Khan in her big-screen debut. The ensemble cast includes Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Jackie Shroff, and Arshad Warsi, with Siddharth Anand directing. First Published:
