Veteran star Sharmila Tagore has seen the industry change up close. The star who has given multiple blockbusters weighs in on the debate around escalating entourage costs. Tagore iterated how the concept of vanity vans has changed with time. What originated as a comfortable place to get ready in privacy has become a show of stardom. She highlighted how stars have started to travel with large teams which bolsters the production costs exponentially.

During her interview with Indian Express, the ‘Aradhana’ star reflected on the issue. “I am concerned about how actors are not just charging huge amounts, but many even travel with cooks, masseuse, and an entire entourage. I was doing an ad film, and the person who did my makeup revealed that today, there are actors who have a competition about the size of their vanity vans.”

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Sharmila Tagore continued, “Vanity vans were all about privacy, and a comfortable place to dress up. Now, you have meeting rooms, resting rooms, etc. All of this is pushing actors away from what actually matters… the acting.” She further added, “Of course, making money is important. But if you are moving away from reality, how would you know what works and doesn’t with the audience.”

Moreover, as she opined on the transformation of the film industry, the veteran actress also commented on the lack of camaraderie among actors these days. “When I won an award for Aradhana, Nargisji and Waheeda Rahmanji were there in the audience. Kishore Kumar sang on the stage. It was a celebration of the film fraternity, and not just a celebration of Sharmila Tagore. But now, in many award shows, some turn up very late, and a new row is added to the first row to accommodate the A-listers, and more importantly, no one talks to anyone.” She added, “Everybody waits for a photo-op and leaves, and many don’t even turn up if they are not getting an award. Things have changed a lot, but I don’t think for the better.”

Also Read: Sharmila Tagore reveals ‘problem’ with ‘Aradhana’ co-star Rajesh Khanna

Sharmila Tagore has delivered multiple blockbusters including ‘Amar Prem,’ ‘Maalik,’ and ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ during her career. She recently made her comeback with the National Award-winning title ‘Gulmohar.’