Source: DNA India
By: Shubha Shetty-Saha
Date: February 03, 2008
Why are most stars unwilling to admit that doing ads is simply about the moolah they are offering? Shubha Shetty-Saha tries to figure this one out
Recently, it was found out Shah Rukh Khan who paid an advance tax of Rs 270 million on his estimated income during the financial year 2007-2008, the major share of his income was from endorsing different products.
His income from endorsements touches almost Rs1.5 billion a year!
While Amitabh Bachchan's earnings through endorsements reaches around Rs1.2 billion, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai earn almost Rs1 billion each from their advertising assignments.
In spite of earning such amounts from stars insist that they do endorsements for reasons other than monetary ones.
Hrithik Roshan, who has upped his stake, signing on around eight more brands in last three months, which are estimated to bring an additional Rs 4-8 crore per year, says, “I wouldn’t deny money plays a major part, but believe me or not, they can also be creatively satisfying for an actor. I look at ad films as these short, impactful films which are really interesting. The best thing is the film doesn’t ride on your shoulders and the responsibility is far lesser than a film. An advertisement film not being accepted well, doesn’t really affect the actor’s status. Also, I see them as something where you can explore different characters and let yourself go. You can have lot more fun with them. Ads can really open you up as an actor,” he says.
Deepika Padukone, who’s moved on from being a supermodel to a celebrity brand ambassador, however, seems more interested in raking in more popularity than moolah. She says, “Endorsements work both ways. Celebrities connect the brand to the audience and the label connects them to the viewers, making them more popular.”
While Big B does admit that endorsements have played a main role in him tiding over financial difficulties a few years back, he says some advertisements give him creative satisfaction too.
He had said, “What’s really satisfying are campaigns highlighting social and national causes. These ads fill me with a sense of pride and fulfilment.”
His daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai believes in selective but long term associations with brands “I don’t really assess what drives others to do endorsements because it is an individual decision. Earlier when I was a model, I did put some thought but necessarily immense thought in every assignment that I did. Once I became a movie actor, I started recognising more responsibility in the kind of ads I do.
More so with time. My relationships with my brands have stood the test of time. I have never had them overcrowded because it is no more the lure of a single factor (read money) but it’s more to do with associations which have lasted for the longest time.”