Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor said he is ready to slash his fee of Rs 31 crore to ensure that the sports drama Jersey is not released on OTT platform but hits theatres.
The film was scheduled to be released in theatres on December 31. However, the producers of the movie said on Tuesday that the release of the film has been pushed amid a surge in the coronavirus cases in the country and concerns over the Omicron variant.
Also starring Mrunal Thakur, Jersey is a Hindi remake of the 2019 Telugu blockbuster of the same name. Jersey is produced by South film producers Allu Aravind, Dil Raju and Kapoor’s producer friend Aman Gill.
According to Bollywood Hungama, after the makers of the movie received information that theatres in Delhi would be shut soon, they held several meetings to decide on the future course of action.
“They had discussion with their digital partner, Netflix, who agreed to pay a premium price for a direct to digital premiere on December 31. The offer was lucrative and the producers were of course inclined to that. They were almost sure to give the film to Netflix for a premiere since these are uncertain times and COVID will delay the film by at least one to two months, adding on to the cost and also reducing the hype around the film,” Bollywood Hungama quoted a source as saying.
However, Shahid Kapoor stepped in and said the film deserves theatre release. When the makers of the movie pointed out the cost that would be incurred if the release is delayed, the actor said he is ready to reduce his pay to ensure that the movie is released in theatres.
“Shahid charged Rs. 31 crore for Jersey and without any hesitation, he told the producer that he will reduce his acting fees to the extent of the additional cost that will pile up on the film due to the delay. If the budget escalates by Rs. 5 crore, he will reduce Rs. 5 crore from his fees. If the budget is escalated by Rs. 10 crore, he will let go off Rs. 10 crore from his fees,” the source has been quoted as saying.
The movie was originally scheduled for a release in August 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. The makers then announced another release date during Diwali but it was postponed for a third time to December 31.
Directed by Gowtham Tinnanuri, who also helmed the original, Jersey chronicles the story of a talented but failed cricketer, played by Kapoor, who decides to return to the field in his late 30s driven by the desire to represent the Indian cricket team and fulfill his son’s wish for a jersey as a gift.