₹275 crore is a huge amount of money which is enough to finance a major Bollywood blockbuster or represent a respectable box office collection for an Indian film. But imagine an actor earning this amount from a single movie while the film still makes a profit. This incredible feat belongs to Bollywood’s highest-paid actor at his peak, a star who once reigned supreme at the box office.
Highest paid bollywood star
Aamir Khan holds the title of Bollywood’s highest-paid actor, earning an astounding ₹275 crore from his 2016 blockbuster Dangal. This record-breaking earnings figure was earned from the film’s immense success, particularly in China, where it generated a massive ₹1,300 crore in revenue in 2017.
As reported by ‘Bollywood Hungama’ in 2017, Aamir initially charged ₹35 crore as his upfront fee for ‘Dangal’. In addition, he negotiated a profit-sharing agreement with the film’s producers. Released in December 2016, the sports biopic became a monumental hit, grossing over ₹500 crore in India and ₹100 crore internationally during its initial run. Alongside revenue from satellite and digital rights, the movie secured a profit of ₹420 crore, with Aamir taking home ₹140 crore as his share. This brought his total earnings at that point to ₹175 crore.
Dangal also debuted in China the following year, becoming a cultural phenomenon and raking in $200 million in box office collections. According to ‘Forbes’, Aamir earned an additional $15 million (₹100 crore) as part of his profit-sharing deal, bringing his total earnings from the film to a staggering ₹275 crore. While this record has reportedly been surpassed by Allu Arjun, who is set to earn ₹300 crore from ‘Pushpa 2’, Aamir remains Bollywood’s top earner, as peers like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan typically earn between ₹120-200 crore per film based on box office performance.
Aamir’s dominance at the box office wasn’t confined to ‘Dangal’. Over the years, he set new benchmarks with films like ‘Ghajini’ which introduced the ₹100-crore club in 2008, and ‘3 Idiots’, ‘PK’, and ‘Dhoom 3’, which shattered ₹400-crore and ₹600-crore barriers. ‘Dangal’ however, marked the pinnacle of his career.
Following this golden period, Aamir’s projects have faced challenges such as the films ‘Secret Superstar’, ‘Thugs of Hindostan’ and ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’. While other stars, like Shah Rukh Khan, have bounced back, Aamir’s box office crown remains intact, cementing his legacy as Bollywood’s highest-paid actor.
