Loss-Laden YRF Puts Lid on Newcomers, Wants Akshay Kumar on Board?

The focus at the moment reportedly would be on star-value at the box office.

Aamir Khan; Akshay Kumar

(Photo: Yogen Shah; Akshay  Kumar)

There is  reportedly a feeling of suppressed panic at Yash Raj films, once not too long ago the most illustrious banner of Bollywood. Now they are struggling to stay afloat after a series of debacles including their most recent release Qaidi Band, which did not even get  an opening, and prior to that the ill-fated Befikre directed by Yash Raj scion Aditya  Chopra and shot in the most expensive city  in  the world.

According to sources, the  no-show of all  recent Yash Raj films (including the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Fan) precipitated an emergency meeting of the head honchos last week . At the meeting helmed by Aditya Chopra and his wife Rani Mukerji, a decision was taken on behalf of the company to suspend all filmmaking activities with newcomers in them.

It has been decided by the company that films introducing newcomers would be put on hold. Yash Raj has had terrific luck with newcomers&nbsp; like Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma in the past. But now the banner needs to make up for recent losses. Beginning with Vijay Krishna Acharya’s Thugs Of Hindostan and then going on to Sharat Katariya’s Varun-Anushka starrer Sui <i>D</i>haaga, the focus at the moment would be on star-value at the box office.

A source

It is reliably learnt that Aditya Chopra has sent out urgent feelers  to Akshay Kumar (seen currently as the most dependable Bollywood actor) for a project together. According to sources, Aditya Chopra is  also very keen to get Rohit Shetty to direct a  film for Yash Raj.

Money, to get these A-listers, is no criteria.

Says an actor who has worked closely with Yash Raj, “Until now Yash Raj paid all their actors a fraction  of their market price, the only exception being Salman Khan who wouldn’t accept Yash  Raj’s lashed  price procedure. But now they are willing to pay top-notch stars and directors whatever  it takes  to get the banner back on its feet. How times change!”

Indeed.

Additionally,Thugs  Of Hindostan has just received a budget lift. Apparently Adi Chopra had instructed director Vijay Krishna Acharya to limit his locational aspirations. But now the film will be shot wherever the director wants.

Reportedly, Adi Chopra has agreed to pay Thugs Of Hindostan’s leading man Aamir Khan  a portion of the film’s profits. This, they refused to do earlier with Salman and Shah Rukh. But will do now for Akshay Kumar also.

“It’s known as changing with the times to keep up with the competition,” says an insider from Yash Raj films.