Viva Harsha, a talented comedian, typically portrays similar characters across films, often working for ten to twenty days per project.
However, in films with extensive shooting schedules of seventy to eighty days, Tollywood's remuneration norms differ.
Aside from the hero and heroine, actors generally earn Rs 30,000 to Rs 3.5 lakh per day, depending on their demand.
For long schedules, producers and directors often negotiate bulk payments instead of daily call sheets to reduce costs.
Yet, this approach didn't work out, especially for an upcoming film.
In 'Sarangapani Jathakam', Viva Harsha plays a pivotal role, appearing throughout the second half, requiring numerous working days.
Instead of a bulk deal, he insisted on daily call sheet payment, reportedly making him earn nearly Rs 1 crore for the project.
Other actors like Vennela Kishore also secured substantial pay under similar terms.
Directed by Indraganti and produced by Shivalenka Krishna Prasad, Sarangapani Jathakam is set to release on December 20.