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 in India’s biggest box office hits, like Dangal and Pathaan. Let’s see how much they make.
Rankings 10–6
10. Akshay Kumar
Estimated 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 Year title 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 Kumar
Estimated 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 drama Nerkonda 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 thriller Vidaa 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 Arjun
Estimated 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 Haasan
Estimated 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 Khan
Estimated 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 5–1
5. Aamir Khan
Estimated 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 Dangal was 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.
Dangal earned 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. Prabhas
Estimated 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. Rajinikanth
Estimated 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 Chandramukhi and 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 Vijay
Estimated 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 Khan
Estimated 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 the best-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 Dangal is India’s highest-grossing movie to date, with a total all-time revenue of $243 million.
Dangal’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 Jawan was the highest-grossing movie in India in 2023, with a revenue of roughly $67 million, according to Box Office India.
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 Kalki be 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 Jawan and 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.
However, 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.
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 Thoughts
The 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.
References
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