Entertainment Desk

The earnings of Indian film actors are often shrouded in secrecy, but occasionally, reports surface revealing the staggering sums that top stars command.

While male superstars frequently charge over Rs 100 crore per film, leading actresses are steadily narrowing the pay gap. The title of India’s highest-paid actress has now changed hands, with Priyanka Chopra securing an unprecedented Rs 30 crore fee for her much-anticipated comeback film.

Priyanka Chopra is set to return to Indian cinema after nearly six years, starring in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film alongside Mahesh Babu. This project also marks her return to South Indian cinema after two decades.

According to “Bollywood Hungama”, Priyanka’s remuneration for the film is the highest ever received by an Indian actress for a single project.

A source close to the production revealed, “The delay in announcing her participation was due to extensive negotiations. Priyanka was firm on her fee, and rightly so. Why should only male actors command eight-figure salaries in our industry?”

While Priyanka has previously commanded even higher fees—reportedly $5 million (approximately Rs 41 crore) for Amazon Prime Video’s Citadel—the six-hour runtime of the series justified the amount.

However, her Rs 30 crore earnings for Rajamouli’s upcoming jungle adventure, currently known as SSMB29, set a new benchmark for female stars in Indian cinema.

Before Priyanka’s latest signing, Deepika Padukone held the record for the highest-paid Indian actress with her Rs 20 crore remuneration for Kalki 2898 AD. Alia Bhatt, a younger counterpart, is said to charge up to Rs 15 crore per film, while other leading actresses such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Katrina Kaif, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu reportedly earn Rs 10 crore or more per project.

Since moving to the US in 2015, Priyanka has made only sporadic appearances in Indian films. Her last theatrical release was The Sky Is Pink (2019), following Jai Gangaajal (2016).