---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never judged a film by its budget…"
description: "\"I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.\" — Divya Dutta"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg"
---

#  I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.

![“I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.” quote by Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg)

> “I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.”

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She judges films by quality, not budget or star power, focusing on artistic merit.

**In simple terms:** She evaluates films on merit, not money or fame.

Key Takeaway

Assess work based on substance over status.

Themes

art film evaluation

Mood

analytical balanced

Type

critical philosophical

When to use this quote

- movie reviews
- festival selections
- budget discussions
- star casting decisions

Key Concepts

critical thinking aesthetic judgment

Questions to Reflect On

- What truly defines a film’s success?
- How do budgets influence creative choices?

A Different Perspective

May ignore practical production constraints.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/)

## Related quotes

> [I always cooperate to complete a film within the budget. Not a single film of mine has overshot its budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/i-always-cooperate-to-complete-a-film-within-the-budget-not-a-single/)

[Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/)

> [My 'Devdas' was a tribute to all the mainstream masters, from Mehboob Khan, K. Asif, and V. Shantaram to Raj Kapoor. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/my-devdas-was-a-tribute-to-all-the-mainstream-masters-from-mehboob/)

[Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/)

> [You can't compromise to keep the film in budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-krishna-acharya/you-can-t-compromise-to-keep-the-film-in-budget/)

[Vijay Krishna Acharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-krishna-acharya/)

> [See, I am an ardent fan of David Lean. I cannot do a shot like David Leans' in a Malayalam film because the budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/see-i-am-an-ardent-fan-of-david-lean-i-cannot-do-a-shot-like-david/)

[Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/)

> [I was able to lean on people for favors and things to help out because their budget was so low. It was half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/i-was-able-to-lean-on-people-for-favors-and-things-to-help-out/)

[James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/)

> [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> ['The Librarians' is a show that really needs to have ten days, but we shoot it in seven, so the workload is really tremendous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/the-librarians-is-a-show-that-really-needs-to-have-ten-days-but-we/)

[Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/)

> [In my mid-20s I worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-my-mid-20s-i-worked-at-the-white-house-office-of-management-and/)

[Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/)

> [They offered me $1,500 to do a week of 'The Golden Girls.' Can you imagine that? A big show with a big budget, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/they-offered-me-1-500-to-do-a-week-of-the-golden-girls-can-you/)

[Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/)

> [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/)

[Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/)

> [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/)

Peter Orszag

> [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/)

[John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/)

> [Many developing nations have such severe debt and budget problems that the money given by developed nations will never be spent the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/many-developing-nations-have-such-severe-debt-and-budget-problems/)

[Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/)

> [When we stop running up huge budget deficits and start acting responsibly in Washington, we will provide small-business owners with the certainty they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/when-we-stop-running-up-huge-budget-deficits-and-start-acting/)

[Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/)

> [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/)

[Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/)

## More by Divya Dutta

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I was always the best actor and best dancer in my college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-was-always-the-best-actor-and-best-dancer-in-my-college/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [It feels good to be featured in a film poster. I didn't have it in the beginning of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/it-feels-good-to-be-featured-in-a-film-poster-i-didn-t-have-it-in-the/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Whatever your parents do, you get conditioned to that. I remember my dad would put gramophone record, and would sit and read a book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/whatever-your-parents-do-you-get-conditioned-to-that-i-remember-my/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I have the freedom to choose the roles I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-the-freedom-to-choose-the-roles-i-want/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [You can't judge people for favouring somebody. That happens in every field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/you-can-t-judge-people-for-favouring-somebody-that-happens-in-every/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [After a three-month course in acting, I bagged my first film 'Suraksha' - opposite actor Suniel Shetty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/after-a-three-month-course-in-acting-i-bagged-my-first-film-suraksha/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [People usually start off on a high note in their careers and then wane off and then restart with a comeback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/people-usually-start-off-on-a-high-note-in-their-careers-and-then/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I think I always had an unconventional career because I didn't fit the mould of the conventional heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-think-i-always-had-an-unconventional-career-because-i-didn-t-fit/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I am learning cooking... all my mother's recipes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-am-learning-cooking-all-my-mother-s-recipes/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I have never tried to bind myself in some kind of an image on screen. I have always tried to do different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-never-tried-to-bind-myself-in-some-kind-of-an-image-on-screen/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Audience will get bored if just one kind of films will continue to get made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/audience-will-get-bored-if-just-one-kind-of-films-will-continue-to/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [I don't believe in the concept of size zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-don-t-believe-in-the-concept-of-size-zero/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Being a Punjabi, I like Indian food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/being-a-punjabi-i-like-indian-food/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Love for me is the basis of my very being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/love-for-me-is-the-basis-of-my-very-being/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

[Explore all 100 Divya Dutta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

## More Budget quotes

> [I don't like just traveling in for a short time. I've done that before, because sometimes you work for magazines and they have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-don-t-like-just-traveling-in-for-a-short-time-i-ve-done-that-before/)

[Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/)

> [When we stop running up huge budget deficits and start acting responsibly in Washington, we will provide small-business owners with the certainty they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/when-we-stop-running-up-huge-budget-deficits-and-start-acting/)

[Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/)

> [Many developing nations have such severe debt and budget problems that the money given by developed nations will never be spent the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/many-developing-nations-have-such-severe-debt-and-budget-problems/)

[Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/)

> [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/)

[John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/)

> [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/)

Peter Orszag

> [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/)

[Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/)

> [They offered me $1,500 to do a week of 'The Golden Girls.' Can you imagine that? A big show with a big budget, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/they-offered-me-1-500-to-do-a-week-of-the-golden-girls-can-you/)

[Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/)

> [In my mid-20s I worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-my-mid-20s-i-worked-at-the-white-house-office-of-management-and/)

[Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/)

> ['The Librarians' is a show that really needs to have ten days, but we shoot it in seven, so the workload is really tremendous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/the-librarians-is-a-show-that-really-needs-to-have-ten-days-but-we/)

[Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/)

> [In a budget this massive, there are certainly areas where I think we could do much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/in-a-budget-this-massive-there-are-certainly-areas-where-i-think-we/)

[Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/)

> [As soon as you're at the higher levels of budgeting, you've got to get the film made, and the only way to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/as-soon-as-you-re-at-the-higher-levels-of-budgeting-you-ve-got-to-get/)

[Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/)

> [I don't want to revisit history or try to re-interpret it, you know, but starting from where we are now, given the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-don-t-want-to-revisit-history-or-try-to-re-interpret-it-you-know/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [If we're going to have an unconventional budget, we probably need an unconventional process to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-foxx/if-we-re-going-to-have-an-unconventional-budget-we-probably-need-an/)

[Anthony Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-foxx/)

> [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/)

[Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/)

> [There is no excuse for waste, fraud, and abuse in the Defense Department budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/there-is-no-excuse-for-waste-fraud-and-abuse-in-the-defense/)

[John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/)

Browse all 855 Budget quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Divya Dutta"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget-or-stars/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Budget"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget-or-stars/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/divya-dutta-5662_budget_i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget_1382931.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have never judged a film by its budget or stars.” — Divya Dutta",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Divya Dutta",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have never judged a film...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget-or-stars/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/i-have-never-judged-a-film-by-its-budget-or-stars/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
