YashRaj productions in a mess

It is being rumoured that the ongoing economic recession has hit YashRaj so hard that it is planning to shut its music label and overseas distribution network. Even good friend Karan Johar had moved out of their distribution set-up to their more successful rival UTV films. However a YashRaj spokesperson says that there will be no closing down but major restructuring of every division, keeping in mind the current economic scenario.

Trade sources claim the reason for all this lie with YashRaj. “New production houses are more flexible and modern whereas YashRaj is adamant and their negotiation terms are archaic. Karan had been demanding a better price for his films for a long time but YashRaj insisted on paying him way under the market price quoting their ‘friendship’; so now he has moved on to better pastures,” reports a trade source.

It is being said that Shah Rukh is also upset with YashRaj because he feels the company is exploiting him. “Shah Rukh wants YashRaj to either pay him his price or give him the overseas distribution of his films but YashRaj does neither. They feel, since they gave him his first hit, he belongs to them,” says a producer.

The future doesn’t look too bright for YashRaj either, their only big film starring Rani Mukherjee and Shahid Kapoor tentatively titled Haddipa, is stuck in the cans because both Yash and Aditya Chopra are having second thoughts about the film. A source who worked on the film reveals, “Rani was very bossy on the sets of this film and almost ghost-directed it. The final result is disappointing and now the film direction maybe taken over by Aditya himself. Shahid has also woken up and made his rightful demands!” It seems YashRaj is stuck in a time warp while the other production houses are moving ahead with the changing times.