‘Swayambhu’ Actor Nikhil Siddhartha On How Wasteful Expenditure Impacts Makers (EXCLUSIVE)

Telugu actor Nikhil Siddhartha is keenly awaiting the release of his period-action film, “Swayambhu.” In a long chat with Variety India, he discussed his film and the overall state of the film industry.

Asked to comment on theaters not attracting as many footfalls now,  he said, “I believe that people do like to watch good films in theaters. Yes, you need to innovate on your style of storytelling to engage audiences in this era. People have a lot to choose from in the field of entertainment.”

There has been a cap on ticket prices in states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for single screens and multiplexes, but Nikhil says this is not enough. “Food and drinks are overpriced in most places. It is unfair that people are not allowed to carry a water bottle and some snacks for a three-hour movie, especially if it is a big family. These things impact theater-viewing a lot,” he says. 

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Talking about how budgets impacted the profits of a movie, he said, “I agree that we need to work on our spends on a film. For starters, the remuneration given to top stars is insane. I believe that most actors today are opting for the profit-sharing module, which is beneficial for producers. I was paid well for “Karthikeya 2” but did not wish to burden the makers, hence I too opted for the same (profit-sharing).” 

The “Swayambhu” actor is also candid about how costs not directly related to production impact a film. He further says, “A large chunk of a movie’s budget goes into miscellaneous expenses. These can be anything from expensive flights to huge teams, and it adds up to the cost. Lastly, I feel people need to do more paperwork before getting on the floors. You cannot begin a film just because you have an actor’s dates. I have often seen teams assembled, but the director hardly manages to get adequate footage in a day. This is wasteful expenditure.”