During the trailer launch of his upcoming production venture 'Major', Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu made a controversial statement regarding Bollywood which has sparked a debate and has added fuel to the ongoing discussion about Bollywood vs Southern cinema.. When asked about his plans to work in Hindi cinema, Mahesh said that Bollywood cannot afford him.

During a recent interview, filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt talked about Mahesh Babu's statement and shared that he found nothing problematic with it. The filmmaker told India Today, "If Bollywood can’t afford his price, then very good. I wish him all the best. I respect where he comes from. He has talent and he has an ‘X’ value for the talent that he has generated over the years. He is a very successful actor and keeping to his requisite of what he wants to get in terms of gratification of our films, if Bollywood cannot work to his expectations, then there is nothing wrong with it. I wish him all the best. Each one to its own.”

He further added, "Why should anyone be offended by anybody’s price tag? If I have to work for somebody for free, it is my choice. If I am charging Rs 100 crore for something, it is my choice as well. Having said that, there is no fixed price in our industry. I have worked with an actor who worked for half the price of how much he originally quoted and visa-versa. Here, directors, actors, heroes, and their fees change person-to-person based on our associations. This industry is a dispensary of human emotions – it is not a mortal industry.”