In a staggering example of star power meeting commercial value, one of South India’s most celebrated actresses has reportedly charged Rs 5 crore for a mere 50-second advertisement, a fee that rivals what many leading Bollywood stars earn for an entire film. (News18 Hindi)
The actress in question is Nayanthara, widely regarded as the “Lady Superstar” of South Indian cinema, who has consistently outshone her contemporaries in both critical acclaim and commercial success. The fee she commanded for the ad places her in direct competition with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. (News18 Hindi)
Often described as one of the most influential actresses in India, Nayanthara has acted in over 80 films across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema in a career spanning two decades. Her versatility and star appeal were acknowledged nationally when she became the only South Indian actress to feature in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list in 2018. (News18 Hindi)
There was a phase when industry insiders speculated that her career was losing momentum. However, Nayanthara silenced critics with a remarkable comeback, collaborating with some of the biggest names in cinema including Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Jayaram, and even Shah Rukh Khan, with whom she made her much-awaited Bollywood debut in 2023. (News18 Hindi)
Nayanthara’s personal life has also been closely followed by fans. While working on the 2015 Tamil hit Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, she met filmmaker Vignesh Shivan. (News18 Hindi)
Nayanthara and Shivan’s professional partnership soon blossomed into romance, culminating in marriage and the birth of twin boys through surrogacy. The couple’s journey was later chronicled in Netflix’s documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. (News18 Hindi)
Currently, reports suggest that Nayanthara charges close to Rs 10 crore per film, making her not only one of the highest-paid actresses in India but also one of the most bankable. (News18 Hindi)
Nayanthara’s recent ad deal – Rs 5 crore for a 50-second Tata Sky commercial – has only cemented her position at the very top of the industry’s financial ladder. (News18 Hindi)
