Ratna Pathak Shah has been an actress for over four decades and has witnessed several stars and performers dominate the Indian cinema industry. While there are numerous things that influence an actor’s career, Ratna stated in a recent interview that she has witnessed the careers of some “excellent performers” be “adversely damaged by this entourage business.”
Ratna went on to say that travelling with an entourage made one “even more self-focused and self-absorbed,” and she wondered, “What does that do to your head?” The Sarabhai vs Sarabhai actor stated that she has seen several actors travel with caterers and gym equipment, but their performances and box office results are not up to par. “Cooks, workout team, where is all your gym equipment? So, what do you do now? Examine your performance. Is it a good return? How much money does that movie make after all the gym equipment and caterers and cooks are paid? Did the film earn the money that was invested in it? “Have a look at it first,” she advised Film Companion.
Ratna recounted seeing an actor on an aircraft who wouldn’t even handle their coffee cup. “I’ve seen performers on planes refuse to ask for a cup of coffee. An assistant brings the coffee, the assistant opens the cup, the actor takes a drink, and passes it back to the assistant. What exactly are you? A three-month-old child? That you can’t even manage to hold a cup? This level of reliance?”
‘Happy Family: Conditions Apply,’ starring Ayesha Julka and Raj Babbar, is Ratna Pathak Shah’s most recent production.