Filmmaker Karan Johar has reportedly refused to launch actor Prabhas in a new Bollywood project, reports DNA.
Prabhas became a raging superstar after SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali, in which he played the titular role.
Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions got the distribution rights of the Hindi version of the film after which certain sections of the press suggested that Karan had decided to handle Prabhas’ Bollywood debut.
DNA, however, reports that Prabhas apparently asked for a mammoth fee of Rs 20 crore following which Karan decided to drop the project.
“Prabhas had devoted five years of his life to the two Baahubali films and it was only fair that he would want to cash in on his new success. But the price he asked for was staggering.
While it was okay for him to ask and get his desired price reportedly in the vicinity of Rs 20 crore in Telugu cinema, it was unrealistic for Prabhas to expect that kind of remuneration in Bollywood.
No South Indian actor, not even Rajinikanth, has that kind of commercial clout in Hindi cinema. Prabhas has clearly out-priced himself from Bollywood.
After Baahubali and its sequel, Karan was keen to launch Prabhas in Hindi cinema. But on seeing the price he was asking, Karan has decided to abandon the idea of launching him,” DNA quoted a source as saying.
Neither Prabhas nor Karan Johar has responded to this report so far.