Hyderabad, May 13 -- South Indian cinema is experiencing unprecedented growth. Blockbuster successes are breaking box office records, causing production budgets to swell and top stars' paychecks to soar.

Blockbusters Fuel Bigger Budgets and Paydays

Recent mega-hits have given producers the confidence to invest heavily, with budgets that once hovered in the tens of crores now crossing Rs. 300-400 crore. When a movie like Jailer or Pushpa becomes a nationwide sensation, it rakes in massive revenue and emboldens filmmakers to go bigger next time. With more money on the table, top actors naturally command higher fees.

Stardom and Remuneration

South Indian superstars are leveraging their pan-India appeal to negotiate eye-popping pay hikes....