In the previous articles, we have ranked some of Tamil and Bollywood’s richest celebs. But what will happen if we fuse those two articles into one? Who will remain on top? Read more to find out.
#24: Vijay Sethupathi - $11 million
Vijay Sethupathi is a notable figure in Tamil cinema. Before becoming a famous actor, he started as an NRI accountant in Dubai. Upon his return to India, he started doing minor roles as a background actor in various films. He was only given the lead role in 2010 in the movie “Thenmerku Parubakaatru.” However, his first commercial success would not come until two years after his first lead role.
In some of his interviews, Vijay Sethupathi claims that he was a below-average student. He had no other interest besides film. When he worked abroad, he knew in his heart that he loved acting, and that’s what he wanted to do. Despite having only minor roles, he kept going until he eventually got a significant role. He is an award-winning actor and producer with several awards, including a National Film Award.
#23: Karthi - $12 million
Karthik Sivakumar, or Karthi, grew up in a family of actors. He was the youngest actor of the acclaimed Tamil actor Sivakumar and the brother of the actor Suriya.
Karthi studied in the United States, enrolled at Binghamton University, New York, and obtained his Master of Science in Industrial Engineering degree. During his stay in New York, he worked part-time as a graphic designer, which awakened his desire to be a filmmaker. The actor attended introductory filmmaking courses at the State University of New York, and when he came to India, he used the knowledge he gained.
When Karthi started in the industry, he was not an actor. He served as the assistant to the director Mani Ratnam. After serving as an assistant director, he was offered a lead role in the film “Aayirathil Oruvan” in 2010. The following movies were also commercial successes, making his fame skyrocket.
Besides his career as an actor, Karthi is also involved in social welfare activities. He is also an ambassador for lysosomal storage diseases.
#22: Sivakarthikeyan - $13 million
Sivakarythikeyan is a Tamil actor who goes by the stage moniker “SK.” He has been awarded numerous awards throughout his career. In addition to winning four Edison Awards, four Vijay Awards, and four SIIMAA Awards, he also received a Tamil Nadu State Film Award. The encouragement of the movie director Pandiraj helped Sivakarthikeyan break into the film business.
He was a stand-up comedian and a mimicry artist before becoming an actor. Sivakathikeyan had to participate in various cultural events because his family was not financially secure when he was growing up. The actor had to manage both his career and his academics on his own.
A couple persuaded him of his pals to try out for the Star Vijay comic reality program “Kalakka Povathu Yaaru.” He triumphed in the competition. Sivakarthikeyan uses his company, “Sivakarthikeyan Production,” to create his movies.
#21: Dhanush - $19 million
Dhanush hails from South India, and throughout his career, he appeared in 46 films, which helped him win various acting accolades. Dhanush has won four National Film Awards, 14 SIIMA Awards, nine Vijay Awards, seven Filmfare Awards South, and five Vikatan Awards.
The actor made his acting debut in the 2002 film “Thulluvadho Ilamai,” which was directed by Kasthuri Raja, the actor’s father. The following year, he appeared in “Kaadhal Kondein,” his brother’s first movie.
On July 28, 1983, Dhanush was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu, to Vijayalakshmi and film producer and director Kasthuri Raja. Even though his parents gave him Venkatesh Prabhu Raja, he never used it when he started working in the field. Instead, he changed his name to Dhanush after watching the movie “Kuruthipunal” (1995)
Dhanush’s childhood aim was to study hotel management and eventually work as a chef. But he entered Tamil cinema with the support of his brother, the director Selvaraghavan.
On November 18, 2004, Dhanush wed Aishwarya, an Indian actress, and director who is also the eldest child of Rajinikanth, a legendary figure in Tamil films. Yatra and Linga are the names of their two boys, born in 2006 and 2010.
Aishwarya and Dhanush announced their split at the beginning of 2022, much to the audience’s dismay. According to several stories, his father-in-law Rajinikanth was deeply troubled by the situation and was attempting to reason with them. Before calling it quits, the pair dated for 18 years.
#20: Vikram - $19 million
Vikram’s real name is Kennedy John Victor Kennedy. From the very start, Vikram knew that he was into acting. But his father thought otherwise. His father, Vinod Raj, was a small-time actor in Tamil cinema, and he did not want his son to be the same. Despite his father’s discouragement, Vikram joined various school theatres and took theatre lessons to improve his skills.
A modeling career paved the way for Vikram to be noticed by different casting directors and eventually starred in his film. Despite having a successful career in the entertainment industry, being a college graduate gives Vikram a fallback plan.
#19: Ajith Kumar - $23 million
Ajith Sivakumar did not initially dream of becoming an actor. It just came about. He dropped out of Asan Memorial Senior Secondary School in tenth grade, but thanks to a family friend, he could still land a job.
He worked with the Enfield company as an apprentice and became a full-fledged mechanic after six months of training. Ajith had to quit the job to find a white-collar job at his father’s insistence. He joined another family friend’s garment factory. After learning the ins and outs of the business, he began a business.
But it was unsuccessful, and he had to work as a model to make ends meet. In one of his modeling stints, he was scouted by P.C. Sreeram and was asked to be in the commercial for Hercules Cycle and Motor Company. The job led to where he is now, one of India’s wealthiest.
#18: Suriya Sivakumar - $25 million
Suriya Sivakumar might need to rank higher on this list, but he is one of Tamil cinema’s wealthiest actors. Debuting at 22 in the film “Nerukku Ner,” Suriya has come a long way in the industry. His first commercial success was in “Nandha,” which came almost six years after his debut film.
Afterward, his succeeding roles in various films became an instant success. Suriya had some acting genes in his blood, so it was not surprising for him to enter the industry. He was the eldest son of the Tamil actor Sivakumar.
#17: Sanjay Dutt - $30 million
Nowadays, Sanjay Dutt is known for various arrests and convictions. However, there was a time when he was the most sought-after actor in India.
A part of the prominent Dutt family of Bombay, Dutt was born to act. The acting was already written in his destiny when he was taken to actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis. He debuted in the film “Rocky.”
Unfortunately, after the success of “Rocky,” most of his following projects were a flop, except for the crime thriller film “Naam.” However, Dutt established himself in the industry in the subsequent years and is now one of India’s wealthiest actors.
#16: Mahesh Babu - $30 million
Like others in this list, Mahesh Babu comes from a family of actors. He is the son of Krishna, a veteran actor in Telugu cinema. He started acting at the age of 4 as a child actor and appeared in 8 movies. However, his first significant role was in “Rajakumarudu,” earning him a Nandi Award for Best Male Debut.
Because of his fame and the success of his films, Mahesh Babu is often referred to as the “Prince of Tollywood.” Given his fame, it is not unusual for this actor to have $30 million to his name.
#15: Ranveer Singh - $35 million
Ranveer Singh has always aspired to be an actor, maybe because it was in his blood as the grandson of character-actress Chand Burke. When he was younger, he joined several schools plays to enhance his acting skills.
After he finished his education at Indiana University Bloomington, he returned to India to pursue what he loved the most. But before doing that, he worked briefly as a copywriter. After resigning from his job, he made his acting debut in the film “Band Baaja,” which was critically acclaimed and earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut.
Ranveer Singh continues to impress many critics and win in various award-winning bodies, proving his hard work and dedication to his chosen craft.
#14: Ranbir Kapoor - $42 million
Ranbir Kapoor grew up in a family of actors and actresses. His parents are Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, both actors and actresses. His grandfather was the actor-director Raj Kapoor, and his uncle was the actor Randhir Kapoor who makes Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor his first cousins.
Growing up in a household filled with celebrities, Ranbir was influenced to pursue acting. He first expressed his desire to become a filmmaker and enrolled at the School of Visual Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Subsequently, he realized that aside from directing films, he could act. After studying, he pursued filmmaking by assisting the renowned Indian director Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the movie “Black” (2005).
Two years after the release of “Black,” he became the star in one of Bhansali’s films in 2007 called “Saawariya,” a tragic romance film. However, the film was a failure for both Bhansali and Kapoor. In 2009, Ranbir’s career would make a turn for the better. He gained prominence in the movies “Wake Up Sid” and “Raajneeti.”
#13: Rajinikanth - $50 million
In real life, Rajinikanth, or Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, has been in the industry for more than five decades. Rajinikanth acts primarily in Tamil films, but he occasionally stars in Telugu and Hindi films as well.
The actor has a massive fanbase in India because of his acting prowess. Rajinikanth first entered the industry in 1975. In the early days of his career, Rajinikanth would portray antagonistic characters, but eventually, he would become the star of his films. The first drama that Rajinikanth first appeared in was “Apoorva Raagangal,” and other films would subsequently follow it.
In 1999, Rajinikanth starred in “Padayappa,” which would later become the second-highest-grossing film in Tamil cinema. However, after the movie was released, Rajinikanth went on hiatus until 2004. In 2005, Rajinikanth went back to acting by starring in the horror film “Chandramukhi,” which will once more become one of Tamil cinema’s highest-grossing films.
Due to his valuable contribution to Indian cinema, Rajinikanth received various awards, such as the Padma Bhushan Award, Padma Vibhusan, and various Filmfare Awards.
#12: Anupam Kher - $55 million
Anupam Kher served as the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India but resigned from the position due to his prior commitments with the American hit series “New Amsterdam.” But before that, he was known throughout Bollywood as a very versatile actor. Because of his excellent acting skills, Kher has also been part of various international films.
Looking at the success that Kher is experiencing right now, one might not know that in the early days of his acting career, he struggled a lot. It came to the point that he slept on a railway platform for almost one month. The success of Kher is a testament that during the darkest times in a person’s life, there will always be light at the end.
#11: Ajay Devgn - $55 million
Ajay Devgn, born Vishal Veery Devgan, is an actor and film producer who has starred in hundreds of Hindi-language movies. He is an accomplished actor who has won the Padma Shri, Filmfare Award, and National Film Award.
Ajay Devgn is from Amritsar and is part of the Punjab-based Saraswathi-Vishwakarma family. His relatives work in the Hindu cinema business. The actor’s father, Veeru Devgan, is an action movie director and stunt coordinator in the Hindu film industry. In addition, Veena, his mother, is a producer of several Hindu movies.
He made his acting debut in the 1991 movie “Phool Aur Kaante,” but gained notoriety for his roles as action heroes in the films “Jigar,” (1992) “Sangram,” (1993) “Dilwale,” (1994) “Dilijale,” (1996) and “Kachche Dhaage” (1999).
Devgn went to Mithbai College and Silver Beach High School in Juhu. He is married to Kajol Mukherjee, with whom he shares two children: a son named Yug, born in 2010, and a daughter named Nyssa, born in 2003.
#10: Vijay Thalapathy - $56 million
Vijay Thalapathy is the second-richest actor in Tamil cinema. The actor boasts 66 films, all of which he was the lead actor. Aside from acting, he is also a singer and a dancer.
Vijay Thalapathy was once considered one of India’s highest-paid actors. Because of his acting prowess, he has received numerous awards and recognition, including the International Achievement Recognition Award and the South Indian International Movie Award.
The Indian actor debuted when he was just 10- years old in the film “Vetri” (1984). Eight years after his first-ever role on television, Vijay Thalapathy started to play lead roles in movies. Vijay Thalapathy’s films were commercially successful at the beginning of his career, and it continues until today.
#9: Shahid Kapoor - $70 million
Shahid Kapoor is known throughout Bollywood for playing romantic roles on television. But unknown to many, the actor started as a background dancer in various films throughout the 1990s. He was featured in multiple music videos and tv commercials because of his dancing skills.
Shahid Kapoor was the son of actors Neelima Azeem and Pankaj Kapur. Despite having apparent connections in the industry, Shahid first thought of entering Bollywood not as an actor but as a dancer.
He studied dancing at Shiamak Davar’s Academy, and since then, he has appeared in various television shows and music videos as a dancer. While working on the music video for “Aankhon Mein,” a producer noticed Kapoor and immediately offered to cast him in a film.
In 2003, he made his debut as an actor in a romantic comedy called “Ishq Vishk.” The movie earned him his first recognition as an actor. It is reported that Kapoor is making $4.6 million per film.
#8: Kamal Hassan - $100 million
Kamal Hassan is a lot of things. He is an actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, playback singer, television presenter, and politician. Kamal Hassan began his career as a child actor in “Kalathur Kannamma.” The film earned him his first gold medal in acting.
Despite having to start his career as a child actor, Kamal Hassan’s big break came in 1975, when he became the lead actor in the drama “Apoorva Raagangal.” He gained his first-ever acting award during the said film.
Aside from being a famous actor in Tamil cinema, Kamal Hassan is also notable for all his philanthropic works. The actor was a recipient of the first Abraham Kovoor National Award in 2004; an award is given to people with exemplary humanist activities.
One of the most notable philanthropic works of Kamal Hassan was a fundraising event organized to help an orphanage raise HIV/AIDS-ridden children. In 2010, Kamal Hassan also launched another fundraising event for children with cancer.
In February 2018, Kamal Hassan entered politics. This was not a surprise because he was likely influenced by his father, who was a lawyer and a freedom fighter in India.
#7: Saif Ali Khan - $150 million
Saif Ali Khan, whose full name is Sajid Ali Khan Pataudi, is part of the infamous Pataudi family, a notable Indian family composed of actors and nawabs of the princely state of Pataudi. Nawab is a royal title that is indicative of a sovereign ruler.
Aside from being an actual royalty, he is also a Bollywood royal, the son of actress Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Saif Ali Khan grew up with privilege. He was educated in the best schools, such as The Lawrence School, Sanawar, and Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire, England. After the Lockers Park School, the actor studied at Winchester College. While his peers continued their education in Oxford and Cambridge, the actor realized that he needed to be academically inclined to pursue college. He went back to India to work.
The actor began his acting career in 1993 in the film “Parampara.” But he needed to gain more attention. This predicament would continue until the rest of the 90s with only rare successes. By the early 2000s, Saif Ali Khan was able to prove his potential as an actor when he was able to gain traction in the hit “Kya Kehna.”
His success would continue, and in 2004, he gained critical acclaim in “Ek Hasina Thi.” Since then, Saif Ali Khan has established himself in the Bollywood scene. He has received various awards in the span of his career, which range from a National Film Award, several Filmfare Awards, and a Padma Shri.
#6: Aamir Khan - $230 million
Born Mohammed Aamir Khan on March 12, 1965, this Indian actor started as a child actor in “Yaadon Ki Bearaat,” a film directed by his uncle Nasir Hussein. This Indian actor has been in the film industry for the past 30 years or so.
Because of his long years in the industry, Aamir Khan can amass various awards, such as nine Filmfare Awards, four National Film Awards, and one AACTA Award.
Aside from acting, his production company is another major contributor to the star’s wealth. He founded “Aamir Khan Productions” in 1999, and by 2001, the company’s first film to be produced, “Lagaan” (2001), got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Aamir Khan’s childhood somehow predicted what he would become in the future. He was raised in a family heavily involved in the Hindi film industry, making it a huge influence in his chosen career later in life. Despite coming from a family with a name, his life was not easy growing up.
When he was in twelfth grade, his father’s films were mostly unsuccessful. This caused the family to struggle financially. In one of his interviews, Khan recounts a memory he had as a teenager where there would be at least 30 calls from creditors asking his parents to pay off their debt.
It also came to a point where he was almost expelled from school because of the non-payment of school fees. His experiences when he was younger have toughened him up and inspired him to work hard and eventually attain success.
#5: Akshay Kumar - $340 million
Although he isn’t number one on this list, Akshay Kumar redeems himself by being included in Forbes’ 2020 list of the “World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities.” The actor has impressive credentials, having been in the industry for more than 30 years. He has won several awards for his remarkable acting skills, including National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, and Padma Shri.
Kumar’s career in the Indian Film industry began with a romantic action film called “Saugandh.” The film paved the way for new beginnings and a start of a successful career for Akshay Kumar, particularly in romantic movies.
The Indian actor was born Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia in Amritsar, Punjab, India, to Hari Om Bhatia, an Army Officer, and Aruna Bhatia. Despite being born in India, Kumar now holds Canadian citizenship, making him the subject of various criticisms from Indian fans. He is often trolled on the internet for having Canadian citizenship while promoting different national causes for the Indian film industry.
According to Kumar, he obtained his Canadian citizenship during the lowest period in his life, when almost all of his films needed to get public attention. The sudden drop in his fame prompted Kumar to listen to the suggestions of some of his close friends to seek refuge in Canada.
It was also in that year that there was a rise in Indian Immigrants to Canada which further encouraged him to do the same thing. Despite being granted Canadian citizenship, Kumar’s primary residence is still in India.
#4: Hrithik Roshan - $370 million
Hrithik Roshan is one of India’s highest-paid actors and a constant figure in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 List. The Indian actor started his career at a young age through the encouragement of his father, Rakesh Roshan, one of India’s well-known producers, film directors, and screenwriters. He would make brief appearances in some of his father’s films as a child. Eventually, he would get his big break in 2000 in the movie “Kaho Naa…Pyar Hai.”
Since then, the actor’s career would begin soaring, and he would later be known for his dancing skills. Roshan’s family background is quite interesting.
He was born on January 10, 1974, to a prominent family in Mumbai. He is connected to some of Bollywood’s elite people. He is the grandson of Roshanial Nagrath, a famous music director. Nagrath is his grandfather from his father’s side of the family. On his maternal side, he is the grandson of one of India’s famous producers and directors, J. Om Prakash. He is also related to Rajesh Nagrath, a renowned music composer.
Despite being part of a prominent Indian family, Roshan did not have an easy childhood. The Indian actor often felt isolated as a child, having been born with an extra thumb. In addition, he also had a speech defect up to the age of six years old. He would stammer when talking, which caused a massive problem in school. Fortunately, he got better with daily speech therapy.
#3: Salman Khan - $380 million
Salman Khan is another Bollywood royalty. He is the eldest son of the highly-acclaimed screenwriter Salim Khan. Although he had connections in the industry, Salman Khan started from the bottom and went to the top of the Bollywood caste system. He began acting with a supporting role in “Biwi Ho To Aisi,” which paved the way for a much better acting opportunity for the actor.
After doing the said film, Salman Khan got his first big break with a lead role in “Maine Pyar Kiya” (1989). By the 90s, Salman Khan was already an accomplished actor in the Bollywood scene and would continue in succeeding years.
Aside from being a successful actor, Salman Khan is also known for being a humanitarian, advocating for various causes through his charity, “Being Human Foundation,” which he founded in 2007.
Despite the good things he is known for, Salman Khan is no stranger to controversies. He was convicted of homicide in 2015 for negligent driving after he ran over five people and took one person’s life.
Three years later, he got convicted again for a separate crime. This time, he got himself into the illegal poaching of blackbuck, which earned him a 5-year imprisonment. However, the Indian actor was able to post bail.
Salman Khan was born on December 27, 1980, as the eldest son of Sushila Charak and Salim Khan. Khan was brought up in a Hindu-Muslim household, with his father being Muslim and his mother being Hindu.
He attended St. Stanislaus High School in Mumbai with his two brothers, Arbaaz and Sohail. Afterward, he went to St. Xavier’s College to pursue higher education, but he eventually dropped out due to undisclosed reasons.
#2: Amitabh Bachchan - $400 million
At 80 years old and with a total net worth of $400 million, Amitabh Bachchan takes the 2nd spot on our list of “India’s Richest Actors.” He first gained prominence in the 70s.
As of 2022, he has been in the industry for five decades and has appeared in over 200 films. His long-standing career in the Indian film industry has not gone unnoticed since the actor is a holder of various awards such as the Padma Shri, Knight of the Legion of Honor, and many more.
Bachchan is what we call nowadays a nepo baby or a nepotism baby. He was the son of the acclaimed Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. However, despite his father’s popularity and influence, Bachchan only instantly rose to instant fame.
He used to struggle in his career when he was in his 30s. He had 12 flops and only two successful films. He was starting to question himself. It was only when Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar discovered him that he became successful. The pair saw a potential in Amitabh that none of the people during that time saw. They saw him as exceptional and believed in him when no one else would. Ever since then, Bachchan’s has continued to soar high.
Aside from being an award-winning actor, Bachchan is also a playback singer, producer, and tv presenter. Amitabh has hosted many television shows, such as India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” called “Kaun Banega Crorepati.”
He was also briefly involved in politics back in 1984 when he ran for a seat in the 8th Lok Sabha, the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of India. He won the elections with the highest number of votes in India’s history. However, he resigned after his alleged involvement in the Bofors scandal, a questionable weapons-contract agreement between India and Sweeden.
Reports of his brother’s luxurious apartment in Switzerland further fueled speculation that he was involved in some corruption. Because of the controversy, Amitabh Bachchan ended his political career abruptly after resigning from the parliament.
#1: Shah Rukh Khan - $750 million
Shah Rukh Khan, also known by the initials “SRK” by his fans, is one of Bollywood’s most bankable actors. He is also a film producer and television personality working primarily on Hindi films.
SRK has a lot of awards tied to his name, including 14 Filmfare Awards, a Padma Shri, and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as well as a Legion of Honour given to him by the Government of France. Khan has appeared in over 80 Bollywood films since his debut in the movie “Deewana,” making his net worth of $750 million not unusual.
Another reason his net worth is so impressive is that SRK is also involved in business other than acting. Since 2015, Bollywood’s King Khan is often referred to as the co-chairman of Red Chillies Entertainment and its subsidiaries. Khan is also a partner of the Indian Premier League cricket team “Kolkata Knight Riders” and the Caribbean Premier League “Trinbago Knight Riders.”
Many people might be curious about SRK’s life before entering showbusiness and before he was named India’s richest actor. He was born on November 2, 1965, into a Muslim family from New Delhi. His childhood was reasonably happy, and he lived a comfortable life since they were financially well-off. Khan’s father, Mir Taj Mohammed Khan, was an entrepreneur in several businesses, including a restaurant. He was also educated in a good school. Shah Rukh Khan attended St. Columba’s School in Rajendra Nagar.
As a student, SRK was an overachiever. He excelled both in sports and academics. He loved playing football and hockey. At the same time, he was an honor student. A shoulder surgery would end Khan’s dream of being a professional athlete. By the late 1980s, Khan ventured into the entertainment industry by having television appearances.