Highest-Paid South Indian Actor and Actress in 2026 Revealed; Here’s Their Massive Fees

Over the last decade, South Indian cinema, especially the Telugu film industry, has witnessed massive box office growth. Once seen as regional, it now rivals Bollywood. Here’s a look at the highest-paid Telugu actor and actress in 2026.

Allu Arjun Tops the Pay Chart

Allu Arjun is reportedly the highest-paid star in the Telugu film industry today. The massive success of Pushpa: The Rise and Pushpa 2: The Rule shattered box-office records, pushing the actor to the top of the pay scale, not only in Tollywood but across Indian cinema.

Massive Paycheque After Pushpa Success

According to reports, Allu Arjun now charges a staggering ₹200–300 crore per film. For Pushpa 2: The Rule, the star reportedly earned around ₹270 crore. Instead of taking a fixed fee, he chose a profit-sharing deal and received nearly 27% of the film’s profits. Since the blockbuster crossed ₹1000 crore in India, his share alone reached about ₹270 crore, making it one of the biggest paydays for an Indian actor.

Upcoming Big-Budget Projects

After the blockbuster success of the Pushpa franchise, Allu Arjun is gearing up for some massive upcoming projects. He is currently working on AA22XA6, directed by Atlee Kumar, where he will share the screen with Deepika Padukone for the first time.

Following this, the actor will return as Pushpa in Pushpa 3: The Rampage, the third instalment of the blockbuster franchise directed by Sukumar. Both films are being planned as mega-budget entertainers and are expected to make a huge impact at the box office.

Rashmika Mandanna Tops Among Heroines

Reports also suggest that Rashmika Mandanna is currently the most expensive actress in the Telugu film industry. The star has delivered several superhit and blockbuster films in recent years. Her remuneration reportedly increased significantly after the huge success of Animal, Pushpa 2: The Rule, and Chhaava.

Rashmika’s Fee and Upcoming Films

If reports are to be believed, Rashmika Mandanna currently charges around ₹10 crore to ₹13 crore per film. Interestingly, she reportedly took no fee for her movie The Girlfriend.

The actress also has a strong lineup of upcoming projects, including Cocktail 2, Maysa, Ranbali, AA22XA6, and Pushpa 3: The Rampage, which are expected to further boost her star power at the box office.