EXCLUSIVE: Jaw-Dropping star fees of Kareena Kapoor and other actresses

Making a film is an expensive exercise and it is common knowledge that a large chunk of the budget goes into the talent cost. Ever wondered how much Bollywood celebrities charge, especially the actresses? Bollywood Hungama, in this special report, will throw light on this aspect.

We spoke to several people in the industry who have knowledge of star fees. Everybody unanimously pointed out that an actor’s remuneration is never fixed. It depends on various factors and changes from project to project. For mainstream films with a large star cast, the actress might drop her fees. However, for solo-led films, she would charge more.

A prominent producer explained the reason behind it, “If the cost of production in a female solo project is just Rs. 20-25 crores, he won’t mind paying the actress Rs. 5 or even 7 crores. She might be charging less for a usual mainstream film with a male lead actor. But since the budget is low in her female-centric film and she’s shouldering the project, she can be paid more.”

Based on our discussions, it is clear that Deepika Padukone today is charging the maximum. Her fees are in the range of Rs. 15-20 crores. Her track has been consistent since last year. Hence, her pay structure is unlikely to get reduced. In fact, it’ll grow as time passes.

Alia Bhatt comes next and she also charges around Rs. 15 crores or slightly more. She is also rocking at the box office and if her upcoming films like Jigra, Alpha and Love And War work as expected, she can race past Deepika Padukone.

Kareena Kapoor Khan takes the third position. Her 2023 Netflix film Jaane Jaan is a huge success and this year, she took Crew to dizzying heights. Her fees come in the range of Rs. 8-11 crores. Both Jaane Jaan, Crew and her upcoming film The Buckingham Murders didn’t have big names in the male cast and that also went in her favour.

Katrina Kaif and Shraddha Kapoor take the fourth and fifth positions. Katrina charges around Rs. 8-10 crores and must have been in commanding positions in films like Phone Bhoot and Merry Christmas, where she was bigger than the male actors (at least in the Hindi markets in the case of her Merry Christmas co-star Vijay Sethupathi).

Shraddha Kapoor does lesser films but her popularity is huge and hence, her fees are in the same range as Katrina. If Stree 2 is a big success, she deserves to ask for more.

Kriti Sanon, Kiara Advani, Kangana Ranaut and Taapsee Pannu’s fees are between Rs. 5 and 8 crores. Kriti might go for higher fees since she’s back in the big league this year. Kiara is called a hit machine for her consistent track record and her fees are now more than what it was 2 years ago. As for Taapsee, her films might not have worked big time off late but they did well before the pandemic. Also, she often acts in films led by her and hence, her higher fees. The same applies to Kangana Ranaut.

The remuneration of the rest of the mainstream actresses like Tabu, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Sara Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Rakul Preet Singh etc. are less than Rs. 5 crores.

The top actresses of Bollywood and their star fees are as follows:
1. Deepika Padukone – Rs. 15-20 crores
2. Alia Bhatt – around Rs. 15 crores
3. Kareena Kapoor Khan – Rs. 8-11 crores
4. Katrina Kaif and Shraddha Kapoor – Rs. 8-10 crores
5. Kriti Sanon, Kiara Advani, Kangana Ranaut and Taapsee Pannu – Rs. 5-8 crores