India's highest paid director, charging ₹200 crore for a film, not Karan Johar, Sandeep Reddy Vanga or Rohit Shetty

Several factors determine whether a film becomes a box office success-- be it star power, chart-topping music, or a stellar screenplay. But at the heart of it all is the director, the true captain of the ship, who brings the entire vision to life. While it is the star actors who are paid hefty to bring the audience, it is India's highest-paid director who charges even more than actors like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. 

India's highest paid director

It is SS Rajamouli who holds the title of India's highest-paid film director.

SS Rajamouli

The Telugu filmmaker charges around ₹200 crore for each film he directs as per IMDd. It is said to include his upfront fees, profit share, and bonus for the sale of rights.

His share can even climb higher depending on the success of the film. 

For instance, RRR was a global success, fetching even Academy Awards. Rajamouli was reportedly paid ₹200 crore after the success of his Baahubali franchise.

A ₹200 crore paycheck for a single film places the director among the highest-paid film personalities in the country.

In fact, some of India's richest superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are said to earn around ₹150-180 crore per film. Rajamouli's remuneration remains higher than theirs.

SS Rajamouli's massive paycheck highlights his superstar status among directors. When RRR was promoted in North India, it was marketed as Rajamouli’s film, despite having two major actors, Ram Charan and Jr NTR from the South industry. It happened so because of the Baahubali films which made him a household name across India.

Baahubali 2 alone earned ₹510 crore in Hindi, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film for six years until Pathaan's release in 2023. Similarly, RRR also did impressive business at the ticket window, collecting over ₹270 crore in its Hindi version.

SS Rajamouli vs other directors in India

If we believe the industry insiders, no other director comes close to Rajamouli's earnings. He charges more than double what others are getting in India. Big names like Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Prasanth Neel are said to earn around ₹90 crore per film. Celebrated filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani takes home ₹80 crore, as per reports. Directors like Sukumar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Lokesh Kanagaraj, and Siddharth Anand also charge a big amount, with each earning over ₹40 crore for a single film, yet nowhere close to the RRR director. 

Meanwhile, Hindi filmmakers like Karan Johar and Rohit Shetty who usually produce their own movies, make money through profit-sharing. They are said to not charge money as their fees.

SS Rajamouli’s next film

SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film, tentatively titled SSMB29, is said to be Telugu action-adventure. It will reportedly star Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The much-anticipated pan-India film is expected to hit theatres in 2027.