Ever since Chiranjeevi became the first Indian actor to charge ₹1 crore for a single film in the 90s, the fees of Indian superstars have fascinated moviegoers and trade analysts alike. In the three decades since, Bollywood superstars have dominated the list of highest-paid Indian actors.
But over the last few years, the proliferation of pan-India films from the south has allowed Telugu and Tamil stars to enter the fray. And one of them is currently the highest-paid Indian actor in the world.
Telugu star Allu Arjun broke the record for the single highest payday by an Indian actor for one film in 2024 with his blockbuster, Pushpa 2: The Rule. The actor charged an upfront fee for this sequel, along with a share in the profits.
The second aspect of his fees was what helped him surpass senior superstars on the list of the highest-paid Indian actors. Pushpa 2 made over ₹1700 crore globally, with profits of over ₹600 crore. Allu Arjun took home a big chunk of that.
In addition to his upfront fees, his total earnings from the film are estimated at ₹300 crore (or more), according to trade sources. This figure is even higher than the budget of most Indian films. For instance, Baahubali 2, which was the highest-grossing Indian film for a while, was made for under ₹250 crore.
For years, one of the three Khans was the highest-paid actor in Indian cinema. Ever since Shah Rukh, Aamir, and Salman took over from Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt in the mid-90s, the three Khans have raised their remuneration with back-to-back successes.
Shah Rukh became the first to get profit share, and Aamir broke the ₹100-crore barrier. By the late 2010s, all three Khans were taking home more than ₹100 crore per film. Shah Rukh increased this to over ₹200 crore with Pathaan and Jawan in 2023.
These stars were upstaged by Tamil superstar Rajinikanth in 2024. In his 70s, Rajinkanth earned over ₹250 crore for Jailer, one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time. But within months, he lost the crown to Arjun.
Allu Arjun has only appeared in the two Pushpa films in the last five years. His first film after the blockbuster duology will be Atlee’s Raaka. The action-adventure also stars Deepika Padukone in the lead role. The film is scheduled for release in December 2027.
