From Kantara, starring Rishab Shetty, to Kichcha Sudeep's highly engaging thriller drama Vikrant Rona, many Kannada movies have recently struck gold at the box office. The success of Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood, has not only inspired filmmakers across the country to create their regional adaptations of Kannada classics but also given a massive boost to popular Kannada actors such as Kichcha Sudeep, Upendra, and Rishab Shetty to restructure their remunerations. However, there is one actor who has surpassed them all and is giving Bollywood A-listers a tough competition in terms of remuneration.
Meet the highest-paid Kannada actor, and it's not Kichcha Sudeep, Upendra or Rishab Shetty
According to Zee News and various other online reports, Yash is the highest-paid actor in Sandalwood. The reports also suggest that he charges around Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore for one project, depending on the role he plays in it. After appearing in several South Indian TV shows, Yash debuted in films with Jambada Hudugi in 2007. Although his first lead role film, Rocky (2008), did not perform well at the box office, he returned with a string of romantic films that became huge commercial successes.
In 2018, Yash collaborated with Prashanth Neel for a period action film, KGF: Chapter 1, which propelled him to a new level of stardom. Later, in 2022, the actor-director duo returned with a sequel, KGF: Chapter 2, which was an even greater blockbuster. According to an Economic Times report, Yash charged a fee of Rs 30 crores for his work in KGF Chapter 2, along with a share in the movie's profits.
Yash is followed by Darshan Thoogudeepa, who reportedly charges around Rs 20 crore for each big screen outing. The third spot belongs to Kichcha Sudeep, who has also acted in several Bollywood films like Phoonk, Rann, and Dabangg 3. According to a Zee News report, the 52-year-old actor demands a remuneration of around Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore per project, depending on his role. Other top-paid actors in the Sandalwood industry are Upendra and Rishab Shetty. According to various online reports, they charge around Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore for each film.
According to an Indian Express report, Yash, currently the highest-paid Kannada actor, owns a luxurious duplex in Bangalore valued at around Rs 4 crore. He also has several super-expensive and luxurious rides parked in his garage, including a Mercedes Benz GLS 350D, a Mercedes GLC 250D Coupe, and a Range Rover Evoque. According to publicly available data, Yash has an estimated net worth of $7 million (approximately Rs 58 crore).
