- Kamal Haasan criticized extravagant foreign shoots amid economic and global uncertainties in Indian cinema
- He linked the West Asia crisis to rising costs, urging a cost correction in filmmaking practices
- Haasan emphasized that financial cuts should not affect workers' wages, safety, or working conditions
In a sharply worded open letter shared on X (formerly Twitter) to the Indian film fraternity on May 15, actor-producer Kamal Haasan questioned the culture of extravagance in Indian cinema, asking why filmmakers continue to chase expensive foreign shoots despite mounting economic pressures and global uncertainty.
"Why must every love story bloom only in Paris, and every honeymoon end in Switzerland?" Haasan wrote in a line that quickly gained traction online, adding pointedly that "romance, fortunately, does not require foreign exchange."
The veteran actor linked the ongoing West Asia crisis and its impact on fuel, energy, and logistics costs to the urgent need for what he described as a "cost correction" in Indian cinema.
Calling for disciplined and sustainable filmmaking, Haasan urged the industry to rethink lavish spending habits, bloated production cultures, and unnecessary overseas schedules.
At the same time, he stressed that any financial correction should never come at the expense of workers and labourers who form the backbone of the film industry.
My appeal to our Industry.@ficci_india @producers_guild @tfpcin @TFPCOffl @kfpaofficial @TFCCofficial @imppa_official @federation_film @fwicemum @aifecsocial @aicwaofficial @tfapatn #SouthIndianFilmChamberOfCommerce #NorthernIndiaMotionPicturesAssociation… pic.twitter.com/24WXgYlbHN
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) May 15, 2026
"Any correction in cinema economics must never come at the cost of workers' wages, safety, dignity, food, transport, accommodation, or humane working conditions," he wrote, insisting that those who "labour the hardest" should not bear the consequences of financial excess or poor planning.
Haasan argued that the industry's core problem lies not in labour costs but in avoidable waste, inflated entourage culture, production delays, and a growing obsession with scale and spectacle.
Questioning the belief that grandeur can only be achieved abroad, he said Indian cinema must place greater faith in local locations and domestic production ecosystems instead of equating cinematic ambition with extravagance.
According to him, some of Indian cinema's finest works were created "not with excess, but with clarity, discipline, and conviction."
The actor also called for an industry-wide conversation involving producers, actors, unions, exhibitors, OTT platforms, financiers, and guilds to collectively address the financial pressures facing cinema today.
"If we protect the economics of cinema today, we protect its future tomorrow," Haasan said, urging senior figures in the industry, including himself, to lead by example and embrace responsible production practices.
His remarks come at a time when several film industries across India are grappling with rising budgets, uneven theatrical recovery, fluctuating audience spending patterns, and increasing pressure from streaming platforms.
(With inputs from Mithraa Anand)
