Gippy Grewal Questions Bollywood’s Budget Model Ahead of ‘Carry On Jatta 4’ Release

Punjabi actor Gippy Grewal’s film “Carry On Jatta 4” will be released this month. Earlier, he spoke on the issue of budgeting in Bollywood films. According to him, the actors pocket most of the budget, leaving barely anything left for the production of the film.

Gippy Grewal questioned Bollywood's faltering economy and poor budget model. He said that actors take 79 percent of the film's budget. He said that budget is one of the biggest concerns in the industry. Gippy Grewal cited rising star fees and declining production budgets. Indian cinema has developed a budget model that is unsustainable. A large portion of a film's budget is spent on talent (stars) rather than production.

Gippy Grewal says, "In countries like Canada and Australia, the total fees of the cast, director, and writer account for approximately 21 percent of the film's budget. The remaining 79 percent goes toward filmmaking. Here, it's often the opposite." According to a Times of India report, Gippy Grewal said, "Almost 79 percent is taken by the film's production team, leaving very little money for filmmaking. Actors charge crores, and that's where the imbalance begins."

Gippy Grewal believes that instead of focusing solely on cost reductions, the industry needs reform. He added, "This is a recovery model. If the recovery is healthy, production values ​​could improve significantly. At the end of the day, it's all math." Regarding the debate over capping star fees, he says that despite repeated box office failures, the market continues to pay actors well.

Gippy says, "There are actors whose films haven't done well for years, yet they still get projects. I've even heard of actors whose films flopped, but later demanded higher fees. Actors get paid anyway. Ideally, actors should say, 'Don't pay me upfront. If the film does well, give me a share of the profits.' I try to follow this model." 'Carry On Jatta 4' will release on June 26, 2026.