In the ever-evolving landscape of Bollywood, where heroes traditionally reign supreme, a fascinating shift is occurring: villains are commanding fees that rival, and in some cases, exceed those of the protagonists. This underscores the increasing importance and complexity of antagonist roles in modern Indian cinema.
Several actors have broken the mold and earned more than the heroes in specific films. Kannada superstar Yash, known for the KGF film series, is reportedly being paid ₹200 crore for his role as Ravan in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. This amount, which includes his fees and a share of distribution earnings as he is co-producing, surpasses the compensation of the film's lead actor, Ranbir Kapoor.
The trend of villains earning more than heroes isn't entirely new. Veteran actor Pran, was a prominent figure who charged more than the heroes during his time. From 1968 to 1982, Pran reportedly charged several lakhs per film, exceeding the fees of established heroes like Manoj Kumar, Jeetendra, Dharmendra, Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, and even Amitabh Bachchan. For a period, only Rajesh Khanna earned more than him. Pran's popularity was such that filmmakers were willing to pay him more than the lead actor. He appeared in over 362 films and was offered lead roles, which he refused because he disliked "dancing around trees".
Another example is Amrish Puri, famous for his role as Mogambo in Mr. India. While initial reports suggested he earned ₹1 crore for Mr. India, he later revealed that he commanded that fee in the 90s, briefly becoming the highest-paid actor in Bollywood, surpassing even the Khans (Shah Rukh, Salman, and Aamir). At the time, the Khans were early in their careers and charged less than ₹10 lakh per film, making Puri significantly more expensive.
In more recent times, actors like Akshay Kumar in Ajnabee, Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2, and Ranveer Singh in Padmaavat have also reportedly earned more than their respective films' protagonists. For Dhoom 2, Hrithik Roshan was paid ₹65 crore more than Abhishek Bachchan. Aamir Khan for his negative role in Dhoom 3 earned nearly 100 crore including his sharing amount, which was much higher than the remuneration of Abhishek Bachchan. Sanjay Dutt also received higher remuneration than Jackie Shroff for his negative role in the film Khalnayak.
This rise in villain compensation reflects a broader trend in Indian cinema, where antagonists are no longer one-dimensional figures but complex characters who significantly impact the narrative. Their performances often garner critical acclaim and audience appreciation.
The willingness to pay villains more also signifies the evolving economics of Bollywood. As production budgets increase, filmmakers recognize the value of casting talented actors in these pivotal roles, even if it means exceeding the hero's salary. This is further supported by the fact that Yash is co-producing the film Ramayana, which gives him a share in the film's distribution earnings.
