On outdoor shootings, he is often accompanied by his large family with the producer footing the bill for second cousins and long-lost uncles. Salman's truant behaviour is accompanied by a bad-ass attitude. He won't give cues to co-artistes and adds his own lines. The heroines, second-class citizens, don't have creative control but can wreak havoc all the same. Since the majority are reduced to doing the three songs-two dialogue roles, clothes are a priority and producers are forced to shell out exorbitant prices.
Bungled dates are a perennial problem.
And don't forget the mommy factor. Rakesh Roshan preferred to replace Kareena Kapoor in Kaho na pyar hai rather than deal with imperious mama Babita. Bollywood has always been star-driven. But lately, changing economics and an overwhelming supply-demand imbalance have given stars absolute power. Stars today determine which project gets made and have control on script, casting decisions, technical crew and even sit in on marketing and publicity decisions.