Not Rs. 7cr, this is what Shraddha received for 'Saaho'?
Recently it was reported that Shraddha Kapoor received Rs. 7cr for her next, Saaho, which co-stars Prabhas. However, a source close to the film rubbished the rumors and said, it's her "publicity machinery at work". "The budget for hiring heroines in Telugu cinema is a lot less compared to Bollywood," the source added, which is why Katrina Kaif, the first choice, also opted out.
Kaif had demanded Rs. 5cr, which "the makers couldn't afford"
Kaif, who was approached first for the movie, turned it down owing to conflicts over her remuneration. Reportedly, she had demanded Rs. 5cr for Saaho, which the "makers couldn't afford to pay her," leading them straight to Shraddha. However, instead of Rs. 7cr, the Ek Villain actress received a Rs. 3cr pay-cheque. Then why these rumors? Perhaps, for scoring better deals in future.
Budget for actresses in Telugu cinema is less than Bollywood
"An impression is being created that she has been paid a certain amount in Tollywood to increase her fee in Bollywood. But the truth is that she has been paid a far less amount," the source added. The source also emphasized that actresses "from Mumbai who work in Telugu cinema work for much less money in the South than what they demand in Mumbai."
'Saaho' happens to be Prabhas' first project after 'Baahubali'
"To spread the rumor that Shraddha got Rs. 7cr for Saaho is damaging for both the South and Bollywood film industries," the source pointed out. Notably, Saaho marks Shraddha's first collaboration with Prabhas, which is also his first project after SS Rajamouli's Baahubali franchise. Since it's been made on a budget of Rs. 350cr, this Sujeeth directorial is being compared to Rajamouli's magnum opus.
'Saaho,' 'Baahubali' different from each other, argues director Sujeeth
However, Sujeeth argues that both the movies are quite different from each other. "That's how Prabhas wanted it to be," he said. Apart from Shraddha and Prabhas, Saaho will also have Neil Nitin Mukesh, Jackie Shroff, Mandira Bedi, Chunky Panday and Mahesh Manjrekar in pivotal roles. The movie will hit theaters on August 30, and will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.
