Being Salman Khan‘s leading lady in Sikander proved to be a lucrative deal for Rashmika Mandanna, whose salary went up to Rs 13 crore for the big-budget movie, catapulting her into a different league altogether. Nayanthara, on the other hand, saw a hike in her earnings after starring in Jawan alongside Shah Rukh Khan and took home Rs 10 crore. Yet, there is one actress who earned more than Rashmika and Nayanthara, according to a Siasat report. Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita opposite Ranbir Kapoor’s Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, got a whopping Rs 18-20 crore for the two-part series.
Meanwhile, here’s a look at the highest-paid South Indian actresses in 2025, not necessarily by rank:
Sai Pallavi
Sai Pallavi has taken a significant leap after bagging the role of Goddess Sita in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, being made on a whopping budget of Rs 4,000 crore, as per The Hindu. With her girl-next-door appeal and promising acting, she is today’s one of the most popular actresses in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. While she earned Rs 5 crore for Thandel, for Ramayana, her total payment for the two-part movie is estimated at Rs 18-20 crores, making her one of the highest-paid South Indian actresses.
Rashmika Mandanna
Rashmika Mandanna, who debuted with the 2016 film Kirik Party, has been part of record-breaking blockbusters in the recent past, be it Animal, Pushpa 2, or Chhaava. Her charming presence and sweet smile is what has turned her into ‘Nation’s Crush’ over the years. For Pushpa 2 and Chhava, she charged Rs 10 crore and Rs 4 crore, respectively. According to Siasat, she charged Rs 13 crore for Salman Khan’s Sikander, the mega-budget Rs 200 crore film, which performed below par despite being one of the highest-grossing films of 2025. Her net worth is estimated to be Rs 66 crore by Forbes.
Nayanthara
Nayanthara’s magnificent screen presence has earned her the moniker of ‘Lady Superstar’. One of the highest-paid South Indian actresses, she boasts of Rs 200 crore net worth, according to GQ India. Working alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan has literally changed her ‘fortune’ as she took home a paycheck of Rs 10 crore for the film, as per Siasat. A Times of India report says the popular actress earned Rs 25 crore from selling the rights of her wedding documentary to Netflix, adding to her massive net worth.
Trisha Krishnan
Ruling hearts of her fans for two decades, Trisha continues to enjoy a huge fan following. Working in projects spanning across genres from romantic films like Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa and ’96, to action thrillers such as Yennai Arindhaal, Leo, Kodi, Mankatha, and Raangi, the actress has proved her mettle with her brilliant portrayals. According to Siasat, Trisha charges between Rs 10-12 crores per project. Latest reports say she took home Rs 12 crores for her upcoming film Vishwambhara. Coming up next also is Spirit alongside Prabhas where she’s reportedly earning Rs 10 crore. For Tamil film, Thug Life, she is reportedly charging Rs 12 crore. As of 2025, her net worth is estimated as Rs 85 crore.
Anushka Shetty
Paving her way to stardom, building her career ‘film by film’ since her 2005 debut with Super, Anushka Shetty is among the richest South actresses today with a whopping net worth of Rs 133 crore according to The Times of India. Starring in Baahubali as Devsena elevated her to the superstar status. She reportedly charges Rs 6 crore per project as per Siasat, and her annual income amounts to Rs 12 crore, as per a Times of India report.
She is an owner to a beautiful farmhouse priced Rs 12 crore in Hyderabad called Jubilee Hills. She also owns a beautiful farmhouse a few kilometres away from Hyderabad. Her luxury cars include Toyota Corolla Altis worth Rs 20 lakh, an Audi Q5 worth Rs 59.88 lakh, an Audi A6 worth Rs 59 lakh, a Jeep Compass worth Rs 21 lakh and a BMW 6 Series priced at Rs 70 lakh, as per Lifestyle Asia.
Apart from his hefty film fee, the actress also earns from brand endorsements and modelling.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu
With a whopping Rs 100-110 crore net worth as per a Times of India report, Samantha charged Rs 10 crore for the spy thriller Citadel: Honey Bunny, while Rs 4 crore each for Chhaava and Sikandar. The actress also took home Rs 5 crore for a special song ‘Oo Antava’ in Pushpa: The Rise, according to a News18 report. Coming up next is Telugu film Maa Inti Bangaram, directed by Nandini Reddy. The actress also owns a luxury home in Jubilee Hills and often shares snippets of her abode on social media.