There was a time when Bollywood and Tollywood (Telugu Film Industry) made hero-centric, social, and larger-than-life cinemas.
Bollywood, older than Tollywood, was more popular than it though both made good movies. Sometimes, Tollywood films would become hits and would be remade into Bollywood. Also, the concept of ‘item’ numbers was first introduced in the Tollywood film industry.
Tollywood at that time had limited resources but also earned profit from its movies, without the grandeur exposure enjoyed by Bollywood.
Simultaneously, most Tollywood actors were paid less than Bollywood ones, owing to the low budget and low audience base.
With the blockbuster film, Baahubali, the scenario changed. The actors in Tollywood are being paid large amounts. On the other hand, Bollywood actors have often landed up in Forbes’ highest-paid actors’ list in the World. Today, actors of both industries charge a hefty amount for their performance ranging from 40-100 crore per movie.
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Here’s a list of some of the top highest-paid actors in Bollywood
- Salman Khan : He charges 75-80 crores per film but has reportedly charged 100 crores, including profits.
- Aamir Khan : Mr. Perfectionist, demands Rs 75-80 crore per project.
- Akshay Kumar : With three to four releases a year, Akshay Kumar charges 85-90 crores for each film.
- Shah Rukh khan : The Baadshah of Bollywood, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan charges around Rs crore for a project.
- Hrithik Roshan : This superstar charges 65-85 crores per movie.
Actors like Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgan, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor demand a huge sum (in crores) for their movies which anyway enter the 100 crore club.
A list of some of the top highest-paid actors in Tollywood.
- Prabhas : After Baahubali, Prabhas charges Rs 70-80 crore per project.
- Pawan Kalyan : He charges Rs 50 crore per film.
- Mahesh Babu : Sources confirm that he charges Rs 50 crore per film.
- Jr NTR : He demands Rs 40 crore for each film.
- Allu Arjun : This superstar charges 30 crores for each project.
Ram Charan Teja and Ravi Teja are other actors who also demand huge remuneration.
Also Read: Bollywood Celebrities and Their Investment In Various Startups
Who Gets Paid More?
Since Bollywood has a large audience base and overseas rights, it makes more money than Tollywood films irrespective of the quality of movies. Bollywood tops the list of revenues, with Tollywood standing the third rank.
Lately, magnanimous Tollywood films with rich content and huge budgets like Baahubali and Sahos have improved the situation. Tollywood films and Tollywood actors are now enjoying a huge market across the World.
Irrespective of other things, the Bollywood and Tollywood industries make Indians proud and bring global recognition.