Top 10 Highest-Paid Indian Actors in 2023–2024
India's cinema industry is booming, and global interest in Bollywood is also growing. In 2024, Falloutdirector Jonathan Nolan recently made waves by stating that Bollywood is bigger than Hollywood' and that Indian action movies are the best in the world.
Currently, India produces more movies than any other country. Although Bollywood is still behind Hollywood in revenue, Indian stars are getting increasingly more global recognition - and matching paychecks to boot!
Fun fact. The best-paid Bollywood star now has a bigger net worth than Tom Cruise! The rest of the high earners on our list also score impressive figures, though.
Let's see who the highest-paid Indian actors are and how they earned it!
In This Guide
- Top 10 Highest-Paid Indian Actors, 2023-2024
- What Are The Highest-Grossing Indian Movies in 2023-2024?
- Who Is The Richest Indian Actor Of All Time?
- Concluding Thoughts
- References
- Top 10 Highest-Paid Indian Actors, 2023-2024
- What Are The Highest-Grossing Indian Movies in 2023-2024?
- Who Is The Richest Indian Actor Of All Time?
- Concluding Thoughts
- References Top 10 Highest-Paid Indian Actors, 2023-2024
This list of the highest-paid Indian actors includes many popular Indian celebrities, some of whom have starred inIndia's biggest box office hits, like Dangaland Pathaan. Let's see how much they make.
Rankings 10-610. Akshay KumarEstimated earnings per movie: $7-$17 million
We start our top 10 list of the highest-paid Indian actors with Akshay Kumar.Although he's tenth on our list based on earnings, he also has extensive advertisement deals. In 2023 alone, Akshay featured in 10% of all TV ads, the highest share of all Indian film celebrities.
His filmography includes beloved action and drama titles like Mission Mangal and Airlift, which both amassed global revenues of over $16 million within the first week of cinema release.
His latest success came in 2023 when he co-produced and starred in OMG 2, the sequel to the acclaimed comedy-drama that had earned Kumar the Star of the Yeartitle in India's 2013 Stardust Awards. And he doesn't show any signs of stopping his successful streak.
Akshay Kumar will star in multiple upcoming action titles. One is the action thriller Sky Force, which celebrates one of the biggest moments in Indian Air Force history.
9. Ajith KumarEstimated earnings per movie: $13 million
Ajith Kumar is known as one of the leading actors in Tamil cinema thanks to his memorable romance and action roles.
In 2020, Ajith won Best Actor in a Leading Role at the South Indian International Movie Awards for his performance in the action drama Viswasam. He was also nominated for the Favorite Hero title in the ZEE Cine Awards in the same year.
His latest success was the crime dramaNerkonda Paarvai, where he stars as Bharath Subramaniam, a somber widower and retired lawyer who takes on one final criminal case.
But the 52-year-old star could strike again thanks to his starring role in the upcoming 2024 action thrillerVidaa Muyarchi.
In this movie, Ajith's character embarks on a frantic journey to uncover the truth behind his wife's disappearance. First, though, he must overcome an unknown villain sabotaging his plans.
Unfortunately, the release date hasn't been announced yet, though we're eagerly awaiting an update!
8. Allu ArjunEstimated earnings per movie: $12-$15 million
Allu Arjun reportedly averages $13.5 million per movie. He's one of the most popular Tollywood stars, so his remuneration is to be expected. In 2020, for example, Arjun was India's most searched male celebrity.
Often nicknamed the Icon Star' or Stylish Star' by his fans, Allu Arjun stands out for his unique acting style. He often incorporates distinct dance moves and fight choreography in his movies.
Allu Arjun's biggest breakthrough was between 2014 and 2016, when he starred in action titles like Race Gurram and Sarrainodu. The latter earned him the 2017 Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor and is one of Arjun's self-declared landmark films.
In 2021, Arjun won Best Actor in the Bollywood Life Awards for his leading role in the action comedy Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, his second highest-grossing movie to date.
As always, his fantastic acting and dancing stunned his fans and proved again that the Tollywood actor is a solid double threat.
7. Kamal HaasanEstimated earnings per movie: $12-$18 million
Kamal Haasan is one of the most acclaimed actors in Tamil cinema. The 69-year-old star has been gracing the silver screen for over 60 years now, having starred in over 200 movies in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and other major Indian languages.
Given his long acting career and positive reception throughout the years, Kamal Haasan is one of India's most acclaimed cinema celebrities. To date, he's earned over 60 awards and received 37 nominations.
His most recent achievement was the 2022 action drama Vikram, for which he won Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Male Playback Singer at the South Indian International Movie Awards.
With three more movies coming out in 2024 and Vikram 2 already in production, we expect Kamal Haasan to remain among India's most popular and well-paid actors for a while.
6. Salman KhanEstimated earnings per movie: $12-$18 million
Salman Khan reportedly earns up to $18 million per movie, battling with Kamal Haasan for the sixth spot.However, the Hindu actor has the upper edge, as he seems to have been among India's best-paid actors for longer.
Earlier in 2015, he was among the top five celebrities featured on Forbes India's Celebrity 100, and as of 2022, his brand value sits at over $54 million.
Salman Khan is among India's most popular stars, particularly among the youth. In a 2019 survey, 14% of respondents aged 18-21 voted Salman as their favorite Indian actor.
Since his cinema debut in 1988, the actor and movie producer has won 46 awards and received 139 nominations.
He's best known for his leading role in the 2016 action drama Sultan, which grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and earned him seven Best Actor nominations.
As a producer, his biggest success was the 2015 action comedy Bajrangi Bhaijaan, for which he earned seven Best Actor and five Best Film nominations.
We're eager to see what Salman Khan has in store for us this year with his latest project, Be Happy.
Rankings 5-15. Aamir KhanEstimated earnings per movie: $12-$21 million
We begin the top five highest-paid Indian actors with Aamir Khan. His stellar work as an actor and producer and dedication to humanitarian causes earned him the Padma Bhushan civilian award in 2010.
His accomplishments landed him on TIME's 100 list of most influential figures in 2013.
Aamir Khan starred in some of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time, which earned him a lot of recognition not only in India but also among international audiences:
- 3 Idiots (2009): $60 million
- PK (2014): $90 million revenue
- Dangal (2016): $243 million revenue
- Secret Superstar (2017): $103 million revenue
The action drama Dangalwas his biggest success to date and his most memorable social commentary piece. Currently, it's the highest-grossing Indian movie worldwide and has earned Aamir ten awards for his role as an actor and co-producer.
Dangalearned him Best International Actor at the 2017 Golden Rooster Awards and Best Asian Film at the 2017 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
4. PrabhasEstimated earnings per movie: $12-$24 million
Tollywood movie star Prabhas started his career in 2002 and rose to prominence in 2005. That year, he won Sensational Hero at the CineMAA Awards for his performance in the action romance Varsham.
Prabhas is best known for his action drama box office hits, Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. Both are among India's top ten highest-grossing movies worldwide, with Baahubali 2 amassing $254 million in gross global revenue.
His performance in Baahubali 2 also helped him win Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2018 South Indian International Movie Awards.
Prabhas is also awaiting the release of his most recent project, Kalki 2898 AD, a sci-fi action drama co-starring Kamal Haasan. It's coming out in May 2024. Could this movie become the two stars' next box office hit? We can't wait to find out!
3. RajinikanthEstimated earnings per movie: $18-$25 million
Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, better known as Rajinikanth, is the third best-paid actor in India, reportedly earning up to $25 million per movie. His commercial success is all the more inspiring to his fans, considering his humble beginnings as a former bus conductor.
After his debut in the 1975 romance drama Apoorva Raagangal, he went on to become one of India's most renowned celebrities, even receiving the Padma Vibhushan title in 2016 and winning the 2019 Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Throughout his career, Rajinikanth amassed a solid fan base thanks to his versatile acting roles as both hero and villain and his trademark humorous delivery in action comedies like Chandramukhiand Jailer.
Unsurprisingly, his acting performance has earned him the title of Entertainer of the Decade at the 2011 NDTV Indian of the Year Awards. More recently, he was nominated for the Favorite Hero title at the 2020 ZEE Cine Awards for his role in the action drama Petta.
2. Joseph VijayEstimated earnings per movie: $16-$30 million
Vijay was the best-paid Tamil actor and India's second-highest-earning movie celebrity in 2023. Unfortunately, he announced his retirement from cinema in February 2024.
Though he won't be on next year's list of the best-paid Indian actors, Vijay's three-decade contribution to Indian cinema will be long remembered.
Joseph Vijay's big breakthrough was thanks to 1997 romance drama Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, for which he won the Best Actor title at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
However, he later went on to establish himself as a leading action star thanks to a series of successful movies, including Thuppakki(2012), Kaththi(2014), and Mersal(2017), for which he earned multiple Best Actor awards and nominations throughout 2013-2018.
His latest 2023 movie, Leo, was also well-received by the public and amassed nearly $7 million in gross worldwide revenue.
Fans eagerly await Vijay's final project, The Greatest of All Time. The sci-fi action release is expected in September 2024.
1. Shah Rukh KhanEstimated earnings per movie: $18-$30 million
At the top of our list is Shah Rukh Khan. Often dubbed King Khan,' or the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan is thebest-known Indian actor at home and abroad.
His illustrious acting career earned him not only the Indian Padma Shri award in 2005 but also the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2007 and the Knight of the Legion of Honor in 2014.
Since his debut in 1988, Khan has appeared in over 100 movies and TV series and earned an impressive 125 awards and 156 nominations.
The 58-year-old actor had a particularly successful 2023 when he starred in three of India's top 10 highest-grossing releases for the year - Dunki, Pathaan, and Jawan. His acting in Jawan earned him several accolades in 2024, including:
- Best Actor nominee at the Filmfare Awards
- Best Actor winner at the ZEE Cine Jury's Choice Awards
- Best Actor winner at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival
- Best Actor nominee at the Bollywood Life Awards
- Best Actor nominee at the Bollywood Film Journalist Awards
- Best Actor nominee at the International Iconic Awards
Shah Rukh Khan's popularity (and paycheck) are well deserved. Given his impressive acting career, we can expect the King of Bollywood to remain the best-paid Indian actor for years to come.
What Are The Highest-Grossing Indian Movies in 2023-2024?Aamir Khan's 2016 release Dangalis India's highest-grossing movie to date, with a total all-time revenue of $243 million.
Source: StatistaDangal's closest competitor was Baahubali 2, which came in second place with a total revenue of roughly $217 million. Together, these two movies made up a little over 40% of the total box office revenue of India's top 10 movies.
As for the new releases, the action thriller Jawanwas the highest-grossing movie in India in 2023, with a revenue of roughly $67 million, according to Box Office India.
Source: Medium (The Blogger)Though many of 2024's upcoming releases have yet to be announced, the highest-grossing 2024 title right now is the action thriller Fighter, with an estimated global revenue of $43 million. However, Prabhas's Kalki 2898 AD is the most anticipated Indian movie in 2024.
Will Kalkibe India's highest-grossing movie of the year? Stay tuned to find out!
Who Is The Richest Indian Actor Of All Time?According to Firstpost, Shah Rukh Khan is now the richest actor in India.
His recent 2023 roles in blockbusters like Jawanand Pathaan boosted his net worth, which is now approximately $735 million - nearly 80% more than Hrithik Roshan's $410 million, who's in second place.
Source: Times of IndiaHowever, acting isn't King Khan's only source of income. According to The Economic Times and The Times of India, the actor has been amassing his wealth through additional business ventures.
In addition to acting, he's also an ambassador for multiple brands, including Pepsi, Hyundai, D'decor, and Tide. With an estimated brand value of $55.7 million, it's clear his endorsements are very lucrative.
YouTube (Sunfeast Dark Fantasy)In 2002, Shah Rukh also launched his own company - Red Chillies Entertainment - which handles movie production, visual effects, and advertising services.
His VFX studio is already a go-to for big Bollywood productions, having worked on recent hits like Chennai Express, Jawan, and Dunki.
Concluding ThoughtsThe highest-paid Indian actors throughout 2023 have long been household names in Bollywood. Many boast prestigious awards and leading roles in some of India's biggest global cinema successes, like Dangal.
Currently, Shah Rukh Khan is India's #1 star and one of the world's richest movie stars. With an estimated net worth of $735 million, he beat big Hollywood names like Tom Cruise ($600 million) and Arnold Schwarzenegger ($450 million) in 2023/2024.
His success is a testament to Bollywood's growing popularity, especially now that Prime Video has partnered with Sony Pictures Television to launch a dedicated stream service in India. Although other Indian actors on this list are also rapidly gaining international recognition. As audiences eagerly anticipate releases like Kalki 2898 AD, we expect Indian actors to keep making bank in the future.
ReferencesClick to expand and view sources
- Highest paid Indian actors (IMDb)
- Share of television advertisements featuring select film stars in India in 2023 (Statista)
- Mission Mangal Movie Box Office Information (BOI)
- Airlift Movie Box Office Information (BOI)
- OMG: Oh My God! (2012) - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Sky Force (2024) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- Ajith Kumar - Actor Awards (IMDb)
- Nerkonda Paarvai (2019) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- From Bollywood To Tollywood (Via Kollywood, Mollywood & Sandalwood) (UKIBC)
- Allu Arjun Most Searched Male Celebrity In 2020: Yahoo India Report (Times of India)
- 20 years of Allu Arjun: The rise and rule of Tollywood's Icon Star (India Today)
- Allu Arjun - Actor Information (IMDb)
- Sarrainodu (2016) - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Allu Arjun celebrates 5 years of Sarrainodu, calls it a landmark film in his career (India Today)
- Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Allu Arjun Top 10 highest grossing movies and their verdict (IMDb)
- Kamal Haasan - Actor Information (IMDb)
- Kamal Haasan - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- 2015 Celebrity 100 (Forbes India)
- Ranking of leading celebrities across India in 2022, by brand value (Statista)
- Favorite Indian actor according to youth in India in 2019 (Statista)
- Salman Khan - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Sultan (2016) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri: All you need to know about the India's Civilian Awards (The Indian Express)
- Padma Bhushan for Aamir (India Today)
- The 2013 TIME 100 (Time)
- All time box office revenue of the highest grossing Bollywood movies worldwide as of March 2024 (Statista)
- Aamir Khan - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Prabhas - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- Kalki 2898 AD (2024) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- When Rajinikanth visited the place where he was the one who whistled as a bus conductor (Times of India)
- Padma Vibhushan for Rajinikanth, Dhirubhai Ambani, Jagmohan (The Hindu)
- Rajinikanth honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke award: I dedicate this award to my fans across around the world' (The Indian Express)
- Rajinikanth - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Superstar Vijay to quit films for a political career, announces new political party (Business Insider India)
- Joseph Vijay - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Leo (2023) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- The Greatest of All Time (2024) - Movie Information (IMDb)
- King of Bollywood (The Guardian)
- Shah Rukh Khan - People (India Today)
- French government honours King Khan (Hindustan Times)
- SRK receives France's highest honour (The Hindu)
- Shah Rukh Khan - Actor Information (IMDb)
- Shah Rukh Khan - Awards Earned (IMDb)
- Top Nett Grossers India 2023 (BOI)
- Highest grossing Indian movies - 2024 (IMDb)
- Most Anticipated Indian Movies of 2024 (IMDb)
- Shah Rukh Khan becomes the richest Indian actor of 2023 with 6,000 crore net-worth, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan follow (Firstpost)
- Celebrating Shah Rukh Khan, The Entrepreneur: SRK's Investments (Economic Times)
- Shah Rukh Khan's other business ventures apart from films (Times of India)
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