Highest Paid Actors On OTT: Bollywood is known for its outstanding actors all over the world. Since its inception, it has produced a number of well-known performers. As a result, our Hindi actors have begun to participate in OTT platforms, following the current trend.
There was a time when the pay disparity between big-screen and small-screen actors was enormous. With the emergence of OTT, not to mention the growing popularity of OTT services in general, the gap has reduced, albeit it will never be completely closed (and rightly so). Indeed, some actors may argue that OTT has given them a second opportunity or that their cinematic market has risen as a result of their online success.
Highest Paid Actors On OTT Platforms And Their Hefty Fees
1. Saif Ali Khan
Sacred Games, a Netflix Original programme starring Saif Ali Khan, was his first step into the OTT platform. Rather than “a web series,” he likes to refer to it as “online streaming media.” For the eight episodes of the show, Saif earned a stunning Rs. 15 crores.
After his most recent films underperformed at the box office, this series helped him get back on track with a good idea. There have been two seasons of Sacred Games thus far.
Tandav, Saif’s follow-up to Sacred Games, is a new OTT film. Tandav drew mixed reactions from the public, as it may have offended some citizens’ religious sensibilities.
2. Pankaj Tripathi
Pankaj Tripathi’s career is at its pinnacle right now. With back-to-back significant parts in shows and movies, he has captivated fans. Pankaj has appeared in a number of films, including Sacred Games, Mirzapur, Kaagaz, and others. For Sacred Games, he received Rs. 12 crores, while for the first season of Mirzapur, he received Rs. 10 crores.
3. Bobby Deol
Bobby Deol tried a comeback with Race 3, but the film was critically derided; nonetheless, this did not deter him. He then went on to star in Aashram and MX Original series.
The drama, on the other hand, enabled him not only to resurrect his career but also to win the Best Actor Web Series at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Movie Festival 2021. The series has received critical acclaim, and it has been nominated for the 20th Indian Television Academy Awards’ Landmark OTT Program category in 2021.
4. Manoj Bajpayee
Manoj Bajpayee has nearly two decades of experience in the Bollywood industry. And his Amazon Prime exclusive web series The Family Man allowed him to advance his career while also portraying himself in a positive light on television. He is, without a doubt, a professional actor with remarkable acting abilities. The second season of The Family Man cost Bajpayee Rs. 10 crores.
5. Priyamani
Priyamani has acted in films in Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada. She also appeared in the 2013 film Chennai Express alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
She rose to prominence in North India after appearing in the Amazon Prime programme The Family Man. In the web series, she plays Manoj Bajpai’s wife, Suchi. She got paid Rs. 10 lac every episode for the second season, which featured a total of nine episodes, for this part.
6. Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Due to a scarcity of options, Nawazuddin squandered his shot at fame. However, it was his subsequent films, such as Gangs of Wasseypur 2 and others, that made him renowned. Manjhi, a critically acclaimed film, is also included. He has lately been seen in films such as Raat Akeli Hai and the critically acclaimed Netflix series Sacred Games. For one series, he requested Rs 10 crores.
7. Radhika Apte
On Netflix, Radhika Apte appears to have registered a trademark. Radhika Apte was one of the first Bollywood actresses to sign up for Netflix. Lust Stories, Sacred Games, Ghoul, and Raat Akeli Hai are just a few of her OTT films and series. On occasion, she’s been branded “the usual Netflix chick.” For Sacred Games, she was paid a total of Rs. four crores.
8. Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia is a relative newbie to the realm of over-the-top television. Tandav a political thriller was released in which Saif Ali Khan acted. For Tandav, she charged up to Rs. 2 lac every episode. She appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Hollywood picture Tenet before.
Also, Read Richest Bollywood Producers And Their Net Worth
9. Ali Fazal
Ali Fazal was still a long way from achieving the popularity and acclaim he deserved after roles in films like Khamoshiyan and Fukrey. At that moment, Mirzapur stood in his path.
Ali acted as a Guddu Pandit character in seasons 1 and 2. He was receiving Rs 12 lakh rupees every episode. The series Mirzapur was crucial in establishing his dominance.
10. Jitendra Kumar
Jitendra Kumar had wanted to be an actor since he was a civil engineering student at IIT Kharagpur. Later, in 2012, he joined TVF. In 2013, Jeetu Bhaiya made his acting debut in Munna Jazbaati: The Q-tiya Intern. Jitendra has demanded Rs. 50,000 for each episode of each web show, and Panchayat 2 is no exception. This series has brought in a total of Rs 4 lakh.
11. Pratik Gandhi
Pratik Gandhi has largely worked in Gujarati theatre and films before making it famous in Scam 1992. Raju Pratik got the National Award for Best Gujarati Film for his role in Wrong Side. However, it was Scam 1992 that gave him a new lease on life. Pratik allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakhs for each episode of Scam 1992, according to reports.
Due to the continuous pandemic since 2020, the market for movies and TV shows on OTT platforms has multiplied many times over. Some cinema stars have been given a second chance to prove their value on the OTT platforms as a result of internet popularity. Numerous gifted performers and actresses, like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Radhika Apte, and Jitendra Kumar, have achieved fame on television and are being compensated handsomely for the shows’ success online.
The wage disparity between performers on the big screen and the small screen is closing over time. The remuneration for small-screen performers should increase because of the soaring prices and popularity of various OTT platforms, which have large subscriber bases and audiences. Even a few performers from the big screen are now working on OTT platform projects, and they are earning just as much money as they would on the big screen.
