The mixed opening response to De Dana Dan few weeks back, once again underscores the fact that the unreasonably high prices being paid to stars are as much to be blamed for the low success ratio of films this year as the poor scripts on which they are based.

A Bollywood trade expert states, "Stars like Akshay Kumar demand – and, surprisingly, get upto Rs. 25 crore for a film.

However, our actors need to realise that the business of our films has not increased so much that a film can be burdened with a Rs. 20 or 25 crore fee of the leading man.

Besides the direct effect of stars' enhanced fees on the cost of production of a film, there is an indirect impact too – and that is, the consequent hike in fees demanded by all the other artistes and technicians."

He further adds, "The direct result of this indirect impact is that the production cost of films goes up even more. Since revenues have not kept pace with the spiraling talent cost, the obvious result is catastrophic – many of such cost-heavy films bomb at the box-office.

As Akshay Kumar started the trend of demanding crazy prices, it would be in order if he also took the lead in reversing that trend."