India, Feb. 13 -- The 1990s was the period of liberalisation of the Indian economy. As the Indian market opened up, a lot of new avenues of earning developed. Actors became bigger stars than they ever were due to increased endorsements and visibility. This led to a substantial increase in their fees as well. Chiranjeevi was the first Indian star to earn over Rs.1 crore per film, a feat he achieved with Aapadbandhavudu in 1992. But the first actress to do so was not far behind. And her stardom was so huge that even the Khans could not match her at her peak. (Also read: Not Shah Rukh or Salman, this south star was first Indian to charge Rs.1 crore per film, was called 'bigger than Bachchan')

Sridevi, often considered one of India's first p...