Senior Heroes Body Double Usage Raises Questions

Using body doubles for risky stunts is common in cinema. But when they are reportedly used for a major portion of a film, it becomes a different story. Some senior heroes are said to be performing only around 30% of the scenes themselves, with body doubles taking care of much of the remaining work.

The interesting part is the money involved. Some senior heroes reportedly charge close to Rs 100 crores per film, while a body double recently reportedly received Rs 2 crores for a film. If the figures being discussed are accurate, it raises questions about the extent to which some senior stars are relying on body doubles.

There is nothing wrong with using doubles for dangerous stunts or scenes that require special skills. That has been part of filmmaking for years. But depending on them for most of the film is a different matter altogether. Audiences come to theatres to watch their favourite stars, and seeing them perform on screen is a big part of that experience.

Tollywood senior heroes continue to enjoy strong market value and command huge remuneration packages because of their stardom. However, if body doubles are doing most of the work, the discussion around their actual screen presence and the salaries they receive is bound to grow.

What level of dependence on body doubles are some senior heroes reaching? If the claims are true, it certainly makes one wonder how lucky some stars have it.