India’s Highest-Paid OTT Star Revealed, And It Is Not Shah Rukh Or Salman Khan
Ajay Devgn reportedly charged Rs 125 crore for the seven-episode season, translating to approximately Rs 18 crore per episode.
As streaming services evolved in India, the scale of original content expanded significantly. Initially, digital shows were smaller in scope, often consisting of micro-episodes streaming for free on YouTube. With the arrival of major OTT platforms, the industry saw an influx of bigger budgets, prominent actors and high production values. With this shift, actors’ remuneration skyrocketed, with some commanding record-breaking fees—Ajay Devgn being the highest-paid among them.
Ajay Devgn’s Record-Breaking OTT Deal
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In 2021, Ajay Devgn ventured into the digital space with Rudra: Edge of Darkness, the Indian adaptation of the acclaimed British series Luther, originally starring Idris Elba. According to reports by Bollywood Hungama, Devgn charged a staggering Rs 125 crore for the seven-episode season, translating to approximately Rs 18 crore per episode—the highest ever in Indian OTT history.
This payday even surpassed the earnings of top Bollywood stars for feature films at the time. Reports suggested that Shah Rukh Khan earned between Rs 90-100 crore for films like Raees and Zero, while Salman Khan reportedly took home a similar amount for Bharat. Devgn’s fee was justified by the extended screen time, as the seven-episode season was equated to two feature-length films. His contract with Disney+ Hotstar also included cross-promotional activities for the Star Network, such as promotional shoots, social media campaigns and appearances on reality shows.
Other High-Paid OTT Stars
Ajay Devgn is not the only Bollywood A-lister commanding massive sums for digital projects. As per reports, Saif Ali Khan was the next highest-paid actor in the OTT space, earning Rs 15-20 crore for Sacred Games Season 2. Meanwhile, Varun Dhawan reportedly secured Rs 12-15 crore for Citadel: Honey Bunny, his debut in the streaming world.
Apart from mainstream Bollywood stars, seasoned actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Samantha Ruth Prabhu have also made their mark in OTT, commanding between ₹5-10 crore per series. The rise of digital content has given these actors a platform to showcase their talent while earning competitive paychecks.
Streaming’s Growing Influence
The rise of OTT platforms has revolutionised India’s entertainment industry, allowing actors to experiment with unconventional roles while receiving industry-leading compensation. With more Bollywood stars making their way into digital series, the trend of astronomical paychecks is expected to continue, solidifying streaming platforms as a lucrative avenue for top-tier talent.
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