Amitabh Bachchan beats SRK as highest taxpaying actor at ₹120 cr for FY25

Amitabh Bachchan has emerged as the highest tax-paying actor in India for the financial year 2024-25 (FY25), with a reported tax payment of ₹120 crore on earnings of ₹350 crore, Pinkvilla reported on Monday, citing sources. The veteran actor, known for his financial discipline, paid his final advance tax instalment of ₹52.5 crore on March 15, 2025.

Last year, Shah Rukh Khan held the top spot among celebrity taxpayers, having paid ₹92 crore in taxes. In FY25, Bachchan’s contribution exceeded Khan’s by nearly 30 per cent, moving him from fourth place to the top of the list.

Other high earners in the industry include Thalapathy Vijay, actor and playback singer who works in Tamil cinema, who paid ₹80 crore in taxes and Salman Khan who reportedly paid ₹75 crore in taxes.

Brand deals, films, KBC earnings

Bachchan’s earnings stem from multiple sources, including feature films, brand endorsements, and television appearances. He continues to be one of the most sought-after actors in the industry, recently starring in Kalki 2898 AD, where his portrayal of Ashwathama garnered widespread acclaim. Reports indicate that he may have been paid Rs 20 crore for the role.

He also appeared in Vettaiyan alongside Rajinikanth, which reportedly earned him Rs 7 crore for his Tamil language debut. Bachachan also remains the face of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), which he has confirmed he will return to for the next season.

According to a report by The Times of India, Bachchan earned ₹2.9 crore per episode in season nine, which had a total of 52 in 2017. He earned ₹3 crore in KBC 10, which had 60 episodes. From KBC 11 to KBC 13, his fee remained stable at ₹3.5 crore per episode. His remunerations were between ₹4 to ₹5 crore per episode for KBC 14-15. For KBC 16, which concluded on March 11, the actor reportedly made ₹5 crore per episode.  

Registrations for KBC 17 are expected to begin next month. Media reports indicate that he may be signing on for major projects in 2025, which could make him a high earner for this year as well.

With Kalki 2 expected to begin production soon and multiple endorsements under his belt, Bachchan, at 82, continues to be a dominant force in the entertainment industry

Source: Business Standard