This Actress Earns 30 Crore Per Film Without a Release in 6 Years, Still Beats Deepika, Alia, Kareena

Priyanka Chopra has once again made headlines, this time for becoming the highest-paid actress in India. She recently signed a massive ₹30 crore deal for her next film, surpassing stars like Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, and Nayanthara. While actors' salaries are usually kept under wraps, every now and then, reports surface revealing the staggering fees they command. While male superstars continue to charge over ₹100 crore per film, female actors are also closing the gap.

Priyanka's latest paycheck is for what will essentially be her grand return to Indian cinema. After nearly six years away from Bollywood, she is set to star in SS Rajamouli's much-anticipated film alongside Mahesh Babu. This project also marks her return to South Indian cinema after more than two decades. According to reports from Bollywood Hungama, Priyanka demanded ₹30 crore for the role-setting a new record for an Indian actress. "It took a while to finalize her for the project because she wasn't willing to lower her fee," a source revealed. "And why should she? If male actors can command double-digit salaries, why not women?"

Interestingly, this isn't the highest amount Priyanka has ever earned for a project. She was reportedly paid $5 million (over ₹41 crore) for her Amazon Prime Video series Citadel, but given its six-hour runtime, the amount was seen as justified. However, the ₹30 crore she is receiving for SSMB29 (the working title for Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu's film) makes her the highest-paid female actor in Indian cinema.

Before Priyanka, Deepika Padukone held the title of highest-paid actress, earning ₹20 crore for her role in Kalki 2898 AD. Alia Bhatt, on the other hand, reportedly charges around ₹15 crore per film, while Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu command ₹10 crore or more per project.

Priyanka has largely been absent from Indian cinema since moving to the US in 2015. Apart from a brief appearance in The Sky Is Pink (2019), her last Bollywood release was Jai Gangaajal in 2016. While she had committed to Jee Le Zaraa with Alia and Katrina, the project has been indefinitely delayed, leaving her without an Indian film release in six years.

Despite this, Priyanka has been busy with Hollywood projects, starring in Citadel, The White Tiger, The Matrix Resurrections, and Love Again. She also has Heads of State, featuring Idris Elba and John Cena, lined up for release this year. But for her fans in India, SSMB29 will be her long-awaited comeback to Indian films.