South Indian cinema has been witnessing massive growth over the last few years both in terms of the production and also the content. With films gaining nationwide and global attention several actresses have become major stars across industries and also even Bollywood stars have started appearing in major roles in south Indian films.
As of 2025, several actresses from the Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada industries have reportedly joined the list of the highest-paid performers in Indian cinema.
Trisha Krishnan, Nayanthara, Rashmika Mandanna, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Sai Pallavi stand out for their impressive per-film earnings reportedly.
Trisha Krishnan tops the list
Trisha Krishnan currently appears to be the highest-paid South Indian actress as reported by Siasat website. Reports from 2025–2026 suggest that she charges around Rs 10–12 crore per film, the ‘GOAT’ actress continues to remain one of the most sought-after stars in Tamil and Telugu cinema.
Trisha is also set to earn around Rs 12 crore for her upcoming project ‘Vishwambhara’ as per the reports.
Nayanthara and Rashmika Mandanna among top earners
Nayanthara also remains one of the highest-paid actresses in South Indian cinema and reports from Siasat says that she earned Rs 10 crore for her Bollywood debut in ‘Jawan’, which starred Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.
Apart from films, Nayanthara also earned significantly from other ventures. Reports suggest she made Rs 25 crore by selling the rights of her wedding documentary to a popular OTT platform.
Rashmika Mandanna has emerged as one of the most bankable stars in recent years. ‘Nation’s Crush’ reportedly charged Rs 10 crore for Pushpa 2: The Rule and Rs 4 crore for ‘Chhaava’. Reports also claim she received Rs 13 crore for her role in Salman Khan’s film ‘Sikandar’ which unfortunately received mixed reviews.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s rising earnings
Samantha Ruth Prabhu is another major name among the highest-paid actresses in South Indian cinema. Over the years, she has successfully built a strong career across Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi projects. She reportedly charged Rs 10 crore for the spy thriller series ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’.
Reports from News 18 says that the actress also earned Rs 5 crore for the special song ‘Oo Antava’ from ‘Pushpa: The Rise’.
According to reports, Samantha’s net worth is estimated to be around Rs 100–110 crore as she currently prepares for the release of her upcoming Telugu film ‘Maa Inti Bangaram’ which is directed by Nandini Reddy.
Sai Pallavi’s impressive film fees
Several actors find a special place in the audiences hearts with their debut performance and for Sai Pallavi it was surely Nivin Pauly’s ‘Premam’ and her character Malar miss. Now she has turned out to be a pan Indian star and reports suggest that Sai Pallavi charges around Rs 5 crore per film. She reportedly earned the same amount for the Telugu film ‘Thandel’.
The actress is also set to appear in the highly anticipated Bollywood project Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. According to reports, Sai Pallavi’s total compensation for the two-part film is expected to be between Rs 18 and Rs 20 crore.
