Bollywood’s star system has long been a defining feature of the industry. Over the years, several actors have spoken about how the industry’s focus on big names makes it difficult for newcomers and character actors to find equal opportunities. In a recent chat with Siddharth Kannan, veteran actor Lalit Parimoo revealed that he has always been against the star system and even spoke about a proposal he once discussed with CINTAA, suggesting that senior actors should step aside after reaching a certain level of financial success.
Lalit Parimoo says senior actors should retire, make space for newcomers
Lalit said he has always opposed Bollywood‘s star system, calling it a “facade” and a “lie”. He described it as a “dhokha” (deception) not only for audiences but also for genuinely talented actors who often get overlooked. The veteran actor added that while he no longer has the energy to lead a movement against it because of his age, he once seriously considered starting one. He even tried to form a group and approached CINTAA with the idea of introducing a new rule to address the issue.
He said, “I was talking to CINTAA ki aisa rule aana chahiye jin actors ne ek amount of money bana liya hai, they should retire. Unko kaam milna hi nahi chahiye. Because aap jagah khaali karo naa. Jaise corporate mein aap 50 saal ke logon ko retire karte hain aur newcomers ke liye jagah banate hain. 25 saal ka ladka accha kaam karega. Aap wohi Akshay Kumar ko ₹50 crore de rahe hain. Are kitna ikhatta karega. Kyun de rahe ho usko aur voh le bhi kyun raha hai? Koi naya Akshay Kumar kyun nahi aa paa raha hai? 10 Akshay Kumar Khade ho sakte hain.”
(I was talking to CINTAA about how there should be a rule that actors who have already earned a certain amount of money should retire. They shouldn’t keep getting work. Because they need to make space for others. Just like in the corporate world, people are retired at a certain age so that newcomers can get opportunities. Someone who is 25 years old can do a great job too. But instead, you’re paying the same Akshay Kumar ₹50 crore. How much more does one person need to accumulate? Why are you paying him that amount, and why is he still accepting it? Why can’t a new Akshay Kumar emerge? There could be ten Akshay Kumars standing there, ready for an opportunity.)
He also spoke about the economic disparity within the film industry and said, “You are paying one person ₹50 crore for a film and another person ₹50,000. How can there be such a huge gap? And many times, the person earning ₹50,000 has spent 30 years working in theatre and television, living in a modest flat and remaining unmarried because of financial constraints. Why is there such a disparity? The film industry has never been able to address this. Everyone is just busy chasing the next hit film.”
About Lalit Parimoo
Lalit Parimoo is a veteran Indian actor and theatre artist known for his work across television, films and theatre. He became a household name for playing the evil scientist Dr Jaikaal in the iconic superhero series Shaktimaan. Over the years, he has built a diverse body of work with notable roles in films such as Haider, Agent Vinod, Mission Kashmir, The Legend of Bhagat Singh and Hattrick.
