Kamal Haasan: Did you know that Kamal Haasan’s first salary was just Rs 500? This is how he earns more than Rs 100 crore per film | Tamil Movie News

Kamal Haasan He has created one of the most amazing works in Indian cinema. He has reinvented himself over the past six decades, from a child artist to an actor, filmmaker, writer, producer and entrepreneur. Kamal went on to become one of the country’s leading actors, known for taking on challenging roles and using innovative techniques in filmmaking. His success is not only reflected in his appreciation and box office success but also in the way his salary has grown along with his unparalleled contribution to the world of Indian cinema.

Starting with Rs 500 to one of the highest paid stars in India, Kamal Haasan’s salary increase

Kamal Haasan’s first salary was as a child actor in the 1960 classic ‘Kalathur Kannamma,’ for which he was reportedly paid Rs 500. A few years later, he got his big break as the lead in ‘Apoorva Raagangal’ (1975) and earned Rs 5,000, News 18 reported. His market value grew steadily through the 1980s and early 1990s before he set a record in 1994 by becoming the first in India to earn a salary of 1 crore for a single film with ‘Mahanadhi.’‘Kamal Haasan later started experimenting with income sharing instead of fixed salary.In a recent video, producer H. Murali said that for the film ‘Avvai Shanmugi,’ Kamal Haasan chose to take the distribution rights in four regions instead of receiving his fee of Rs 1.5 crore. The casting turned out to be a huge success, and the actor reportedly earned around Rs 5 crore, much more than the regular salary.

Big films and television made Kamal’s income increase

Kamal Haasan’s earnings continued to grow as his career took off. He was reportedly paid Rs 130 crore for his role in ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ and later reports said he was paid close to Rs 150 crore for the sequel. Apart from his films, Kamal Haasan has also become one of the highest paid actors on Indian television Big Boss Tamilhe earns around Rs 130 crore per season. Often, he received credit for making one of the smartest business decisions of his life due to his willingness to agree to profit sharing and distribution early in his career. Since then, this model has inspired many stars and producers to follow similar marketing strategies.

Veteran Star continues to lead major projects

Kamal Haasan is a very busy actor even though he has been acting in films for many years. His last film, ‘Thug Life,’ was directed by Mani Ratnam and released in 2025. The seasoned actor is all set to appear in the drama ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, playing the same character, and will also star alongside Rajinikanth in the upcoming film ‘KHxRK’.