Heroines Deliver Hits; Hero Takes the Bigger Pay Check!
Ironically, in Cocktail 2, Shahid Kapoor is being paid much more than Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Madanna, despite the actresses enjoying a stronger BO run and greater promotional buzz
Shahid Kapoor’s remuneration for Cocktail 2 is reportedly higher than the combined pay being drawn by both female leads, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna. The film is being mounted on a budget of approximately Rs 150 crore, of which around Rs 35 crore has reportedly been earmarked for the principal cast. Shahid is said to be taking home Rs 21 crore, while Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna are being paid Rs 8 crore and Rs 6 crore respectively.
Ironically, despite earning more than both his co-stars put together, Shahid Kapoor has not enjoyed the kind of box-office success that either Kriti or Rashmika have delivered in recent years. While Kabir Singh (2019) remains Shahid’s last undisputed blockbuster, his subsequent theatrical outings have struggled to recreate that magic. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024), opposite Kriti Sanon, was a moderate success, but Deva, Bloody Daddy and Jersey failed to make a significant impact at the box office.
In contrast, Kriti Sanon has maintained a far stronger commercial track record in recent years with films such as Crew and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, while her upcoming Tere Ishk Mein continues to generate considerable industry buzz.
Rashmika Mandanna, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the most bankable female stars in the country, having been part of mega blockbusters such as Animal, Pushpa 2: The Rule and Chhaava. Even today, both actresses arguably command greater audience attention and social media traction than their male co-star.
“Both these actresses have headlined or featured in films whose box-office collections far exceed those of Shahid Kapoor’s recent releases. Yet, such is the skewed economics of Bollywood that male stars continue to command significantly higher fees, often irrespective of their recent theatrical performance,” says a trade source.
The disparity once again brings the industry’s long-running pay-parity debate into focus. Female actors have repeatedly argued that remuneration should be linked more closely to current box-office pull and audience appeal rather than entrenched star hierarchies. Yet, as the Cocktail 2 pay structure suggests, Bollywood’s compensation model continues to favour male stars even when the numbers tell a different story.
