- By Swati Singh
- Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:54 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Actor-turned-producer Nikhil Dwivedi has established himself as one of the most prominent names in Indian cinema today. Known for his sharp eye in backing compelling stories, he has delivered acclaimed projects like Veere Di Wedding (2018), which broke ground in redefining female friendships on screen, and CTRL (2024), a gripping thriller applauded for its powerful narrative. Recently, as conversations in the industry circle around actors’ entourages and the additional costs they bring to producers, Dwivedi offered a refreshing perspective. In a candid interview, he explained that entourage expenses are not the real problem. Instead, the larger concern lies in actors overlooking the fundamental principles of business, the arithmetic of filmmaking, and failing to see the bigger financial picture.
In an interview with a leading portal, Nikhil Dwivedi explained this problem by giving an example, saying, “Let’s say that there’s an X price of an actor and the entourage cost is Y. In my mind, I’ll think the actor’s price is X + Y. What’s important is, am I getting enough recovery from that X + Y cost? If an actor is giving you more recovery than what they are making you spend, you can offer them the moon. It does not matter. The problem arises when they refuse to understand the basic principles of business and arithmetic. You can’t be compelling the producer to spend more on you than what you are giving back to the producer. That’s the problem. Let’s not oversimplify by saying it’s an entourage cost.”
He further added, “Let me give a rough example. Let's say Salman Khan’s fees are Rs. 100 crores. If his entourage cost is Rs. 20 crores, I won’t see it as a separate cost. If his price is Rs. 120 crores but his recovery is Rs. 250 crores, I am fine. Even if the entourage cost is increased further by Rs. 10 crores, I won’t flinch as I am still getting Rs. 120 crores of recovery. However, if an artist is charging Rs. 50 crores as his fees and Rs. 20 crores for his entourage, but his recovery is just Rs. 50 crores, that’s not feasible. In such a situation, one starts questioning the entourage cost and that is what’s happening.”
“What needs to be questioned is the overall price packaging. One can’t deliver a recovery of Rs. 70 crores and also charge the same amount. After all, there’s also going to be a filmmaking cost, distribution and release cost, advertising cost and cost that’ll be incurred while paying HODs and artists. Actors need to consider the whole package of the film that they are a part of. If the film costs Rs. 150 crores, is everybody collectively at least giving a recovery of 70-75% for the producer to take that 25-30% risk? If the answer is no, then everybody collectively needs to start bringing the price down. If they don’t, they need to realize that it’s not just the producer who’s going to make a loss. Your film is also going to be termed a flop. Why do you want a flop film in your filmography? A film is a hit only if it recovers money and makes a profit. I hope actors understand this aspect, said Nikhil, on how actors should understand the entire business.
On the work front, Nikhil Dwivedi’s upcoming production Bandar (Monkey in a Cage) is set to have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2025. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film features Bobby Deol and Sanya Malhotra in lead roles. Known for backing the finest stories, Nikhil continues his streak with another much-awaited project, the fantasy drama Naagin, starring Shraddha Kapoor, highlighting his flair for diverse and ambitious storytelling.