Aishwarya still on top

The lukewarm response to her recent Hollywood release Pink Panther-II has had Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (35) conceding her position as the most popular face of Bollywood in the West to the new international craze 24-year-old Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), who according to reliable sources has been signed for two films — one with Woody Allen and the second with Julian Schnabel.

Freida, who is said to have earned over two million pounds, overtaking Bollywood beauties like Aishwarya, Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif is also, according to a world film distributor, being wooed to walk the red carpet at Cannes in May 2009.

On the Bollywood front, Kareena Kapoor (28) has nudged Aishwarya Rai Bachchan out of the Filmfare Top-10 Power list. But a producer from Chennai confirms that Ash is still the highest paid Indian heroine and has reportedly been paid a fee of Rs six crore for Shankar’s Robot, where she is cast opposite Rajnikant. The actor is said to have received a cheque of Rs one crore as signing amount, that is also a first. Usually it is only the leading men who receive such a big sum as a signing amount.

Reportedly, Rajnikant himself is said to come with a price tag of Rs 25 crore for the same film. He will also get a share in the profits since Robot will be released in Hindi and Tamil. The Tamil superstar will be on top of the heap even as far as Bollywood heroes’ prices go.

Regarding Aishwarya’s price, her manager Hari Singh said, “Aishwarya is definitely one of the highly paid actors in the country, but I would not like to comment on the price she has been paid.” Singh also said that exaggerated prices often made the rounds.

Closer home, Kareena Kapoor has reportedly been paid Rs 2.5 crore for Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kambakkht Ishq. Nadiadwala refuses to comment on his heroine’s price but says, “She has been paid what she deserves.”
According to him, with film corporations in the fray, there is more transparency involved and people can actually check prices. “But that is a whole load of hogwash,” says a trade consultant. “Bollywood still continues to be ambiguous with its payments. What is shown on paper is not necessarily the right price.”

Katrina Kaif is said to have been paid Rs 2 crore for Ramesh Taurani’s Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Priyanka Chopra Rs 2 crore for Vishaal Bharadwaj’s Kaminaay.

Of the leading men, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar have last been paid Rs 21 crore for Ghajini and Singh is Kinng, plus a reported share in the profits. Shah Rukh Khan is said to have had a share in profits for Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and he is a partner on Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan, as Johar himself was quoted saying, “It is difficult to put a price tag on SRK.”

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