Highest Paid Actor in India 2026: Top 10 Bollywood and South Stars by Per Film Fee
Who is the highest paid actor in India in 2026? In a film industry that generates over $2.5 billion in annual revenues, the battle for the top spot on the highest-paid actors list is fiercely competitive. And in 2026, for the first time in a long time, the answer is genuinely contested between Bollywood and South Indian cinema. In this comprehensive article, we reveal the top 10 highest-paid actors in India in 2026 by per-film fee.
Top 10 Highest Paid Actors in India 2026
1. Salman Khan — ₹100–150 Crore Per Film
Bhaijaan commands the highest per-film fee in Bollywood. His films are guaranteed ₹300–500 crore earners at the box office, which justifies producers paying him the lion’s share of their budgets. Combined with his Bigg Boss hosting fee (₹200+ crore per season), Salman is by far the highest annual earner from acting and television in India.
2. Shah Rukh Khan — ₹100–200 Crore Per Film
After Pathaan and Jawan’s billion-dollar box office combined performance, SRK commands ₹100–200 crore per film including backend profit participation. His fee varies significantly based on whether he takes an upfront fee or backend deal.
3. Vijay (Thalapathy) — ₹120–150 Crore Per Film
In his final acting phase before politics, Vijay commanded the highest per-film fee in Tamil cinema. His GOAT (Greatest of All Time) earned him an estimated ₹150 crore fee — the highest ever for a Tamil actor at that time.
4. Prabhas — ₹100–150 Crore Per Film
Post-Baahubali and Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas’s fee has stabilized at ₹100–150 crore per film, making him the highest-paid Telugu actor and one of the top earners in all of Indian cinema.
5. Hrithik Roshan — ₹80–100 Crore Per Film
War 2 marks Hrithik’s return to the ₹100 crore fee bracket. His proven track record with War (2019) and the YRF spy universe franchise justify premium pricing.
6. Allu Arjun — ₹100–150 Crore Per Film
After Pushpa 2’s record-shattering run, Allu Arjun has joined the ₹100–150 crore per film club. He is now one of the top three highest-paid actors in all of Indian cinema.
7. Akshay Kumar — ₹60–100 Crore Per Film
Despite a string of box office disappointments in 2022–2023, Akshay continues to command ₹60–100 crore per film based on his prolific output and proven mass-market appeal.
8. Rajinikanth — ₹75–100 Crore Per Film
The Superstar’s guarantee of box office performance in Tamil Nadu and across South India means producers still compete to sign him at ₹75–100 crore per film.
9. Ram Charan — ₹80–100 Crore Per Film
Post-RRR, Ram Charan’s per-film fee has doubled. Game Changer reportedly paid him ₹80 crore, and future projects are expected to cross ₹100 crore.
10. Jr NTR — ₹80–100 Crore Per Film
War 2’s reported ₹100 crore fee marks Jr NTR’s arrival in Bollywood at the highest level. His post-RRR trajectory mirrors Ram Charan’s, and both are now commanding fees that rival the biggest Bollywood stars.
The Shift: South Indian Stars Matching Bollywood Fees
Five years ago, the top five highest-paid actors were all from Bollywood. In 2026, the list is genuinely split 50/50 between Bollywood and South Indian cinema. This reflects the seismic shift caused by pan-India films like Baahubali, RRR, Pushpa, and KGF — which proved that South Indian stars can generate box office revenues that rival and even exceed Bollywood’s biggest films.
Female Actors: Highest Paid Actresses
The gender pay gap in Indian cinema, while narrowing, still exists. However, top actresses like Deepika Padukone (₹20–30 crore/film) and Alia Bhatt (₹15–25 crore/film) are commanding increasingly premium fees that reflect their box office power.
Conclusion
The highest paid actors in India in 2026 span Bollywood and South Indian cinema in a genuinely competitive landscape. Salman Khan holds the record for the highest Bollywood fee, while Vijay and Allu Arjun match or exceed him from South Indian cinema. This exciting convergence of film markets — with stars crossing over freely and producers willing to pay pan-India fees — suggests India’s entertainment industry is entering a new golden age of commercial ambition and scale.
