Do Salman, Shah Rukh, and Aamir Khan take 40% of a film’s budget as fees? Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur reveals the truth
Film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, known for movies like Barfi, Haider, and Dangal, recently opened up about how much Bollywood’s top stars are paid—and the numbers might surprise you.
In a chat with CNBC-TV18, he shared that when a big star like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, or Hrithik Roshan signs a film, a huge part of the budget—sometimes 30 to 40 percent—goes just to pay their fee.
Stars take a big chunk of the budget
Siddharth explained that this isn’t very different from Hollywood. He gave the example of Tom Cruise, who took a large portion of the budget for Top Gun: Maverick, because his name alone guarantees a strong box office opening. The same logic applies in India. These top stars bring in massive audiences, so they are paid accordingly.
Are actors taking pay cuts?
When asked if actors are now accepting lower pay, Siddharth clarified that it’s not exactly a “cut.” Instead, many big stars are now choosing to take a smaller fee upfront and earn more through profit-sharing once the movie is released.
This means they get a percentage of the film’s earnings if it does well, rather than charging a huge fixed amount in advance.
Why this new model works better
Siddharth pointed out that this profit-sharing model is becoming more popular in Bollywood. It helps producers control the film’s budget, and at the same time, allows actors to earn big if the movie becomes a hit. This way, both sides benefit financially.
So, while stars like the Khans still get paid a lot, many of them are now betting on the success of the film rather than taking all the money up front.
