Should Bollywood stars follow Prithviraj's model? Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta praises Malayalam superstar's approach to filmmaking

Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has weighed in on the ongoing conversation around rising film budgets and escalating actor fees, pointing to Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran as an example the rest of the industry could learn from. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Gupta praised Prithviraj's production strategy, suggesting that many of the film industry's financial struggles could be solved if more stars adopted a similar revenue-sharing model instead of demanding hefty upfront payments.

Sanjay Gupta highlights Prithviraj's production strategy

Sharing his thoughts on social media, Sanjay Gupta wrote: "Malayalam superstar Prithviraj produces most of his own films because — by his own admission — his fee is usually the biggest cost on the budget. So he takes it off the table, swaps it for backend & suddenly the film is affordable, safe & viable." He further questioned why the practice is not more common across the industry."Shouldn't this just be the norm? Half the industry's so-called 'problems' would quietly disappear if more stars did this instead of talking about it on panels."

A fresh debate on actor remuneration

Gupta's remarks arrive at a time when Bollywood has been actively discussing ballooning production costs, with actor remuneration often cited as one of the biggest contributors to inflated budgets.Prithviraj's model is based on reducing the financial burden during production by foregoing an upfront acting fee and instead participating in the film's profits. The approach lowers the initial investment required from producers while allowing the actor to benefit if the film performs well commercially.

The system also aligns the interests of the actor and the production team, as earnings become directly linked to a project's success.

Prithviraj's dual role as actor and producer

Over the years, Prithviraj has built a reputation as one of Malayalam cinema's most successful actor-producers. Through his production ventures, he has backed several ambitious projects while balancing commercial viability with creative storytelling. His business model has frequently been praised for enabling larger-scale productions without placing excessive financial pressure on budgets.

Industry conversation continues

Sanjay Gupta's tweet has once again sparked conversations about whether Bollywood's biggest stars should move towards profit-sharing arrangements rather than charging substantial upfront fees.As the Hindi film industry continues to search for sustainable production models amid changing box office trends and audience preferences, Gupta's endorsement of Prithviraj's approach is likely to add fresh momentum to the debate over how films are financed and how stars are compensated.