The film industry has grown rapidly over the years, and South Indian actors are now household names in India. Sai Pallavi, Nayanthara and Anushka Shetty are few of the actresses who have won hearts with their beauty and talent. They have millions of fans, tonnes of brand endorsements and Bollywood collaborations and fame is at an all-time high. The South Indian film industry is still doing good and actresses hold a prime position in it. As 2025 starts, there are many top actresses competing to be the highest paid South Indian actress.
Without any further delay, here we are going to see the top 10 highest paid South Indian Actress in 2025.
1. Sai Pallavi
The beautiful South actress is famed for being naturally beautiful, being selective about the brands she endorses and for also leading a healthy lifestyle. Talluri was a common actress in Telugu but has also acted in several hit Malayalam and Tamil films. Apart from this, she has won several awards such as Filmfare Awards South and South Indian International Movie Awards and has six of each to her name. Forbes magazine had featured her as one of India’s 30 Under 30 in 2020. IMDb states that she earns between 3-15 crore per movie and that makes her the highest paid South actress.
2. Nayanthara
Nayanthara is referred to by people as the ‘Lady Superstar’ of Tollywood. In 2018, she is the only South Indian actress to appear in the Forbes India ‘Celebrity 100’ list. She is also one of the most earned Indians in India as per her earnings. Nayanthara has total assets of Rs 200 crore and asks for each film between Rs 3 crore and Rs 12 crore.
3. Rashmika Mandanna
Rashmika’s acting career reached its high point after the Animal Hindi film. She earned herself a tag of one of the highest paid actresses in South India for making up to Rs 4-8 crore for a single film. She has been the recipient of four SIIMA Awards and one Filmfare Award South. Her work was reported in Forbes India’s “30 Under 30” for 2024.
4. Trisha Krishnan
A talented actress as well as a timeless beauty in the South film industry is Trisha Krishnan. According to GQ India, she has a net worth of approximately Rs 85 crore and she also earns between Rs 2-7 crore per film. After 1999 Miss Chennai, she gained popularity and started her film career. Her success allows people to call her the ‘Queen of South India’. She has been awarded five Filmfare Awards South, Tamil Nadu State Film Award and a Nandi Award. Besides being bilingual in Devanagari and Kanarese languages, Trisha also has worked with Malayalam, Hindi, and Kannada films. She is highly admired in the industry by many people.
5. Pooja Hegde
Currently, Pooja Hegde has been working in films for around ten years in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. She became famous when she finished as one of the second runners in 2010 Miss Universe India pageant. Along with that, she is one of the highest-paid South Indian actresses and has been awarded four SIIMA Awards. Although she has not acted in any legal affairs, which is prohibited during First Information Reports, her net worth hovers around Rs 55-60 crore mostly through her acting and brand endorsements. For each movie, she charges between Rs 2.5-7 crore.
6. Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty, who is a famous actress of South Indian cinema, has a net worth of Rs 130 crores. She makes Rs 12 crore every year and charges Rs 5-7 crores for each movie. She became popular in India for her role in the blockbuster film Bahubali. She has received two Nandi Awards, two SIIMA Awards, three Filmfare Awards South and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award.
7. Samantha Ruth Prabhu
The versatile acting and never giving up screen presence wins the hearts of Samantha Ruth Prabhu. She is among the most paid actresses of South India and has been awarded many times including four Filmfare Awards South, two Nandi Awards and one Tamil Nadu State Film Award. She has a networth of Rs 100 crore and she charges anything from 3-8 crore per film. Honey Bunny with Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan was her latest film that became a super hit on the internet.
8. Rakul Preet Singh
Rakul Preet Singh is a second generation actress who began her career in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi cinemas in 2009. She has received a South Indian International Movie Award and is the recipient of four nominations at the Filmfare Awards South. It is known that Rakul earns 2-3 crore per film. In 2024, she partnered with Curefoods and opened a millet based restaurant Arambam in Hyderabad. It allows people to overcome physical distances, physical boundaries. Gilli was the Kannada film in which Rakul made her acting debut.
9. Tamannaah Bhatia
One of the hottest actresses of South Cinema, Tamannaah Bhatia always takes the Internet by storm with her chic looks, dancing skills, love life with another co-actor Vijaya Verma, and great acting prowess. With 85 films to her credit, she has won two Santosham Film Awards, two SIIMA Awards and the Kalaimamani Award. The income she earns is between Rs 1.5-5 crore per film.
10. Keerthy Suresh
Last but not the least, we have Keerthy Suresh. Recently, the South actress and Telugu actress is all set to make her successful Bollywood debut with the movie BabyJohn. KoiMoi is reporting that Keerthy’s net worth approximated at Rs 41 crore. So far she has won one National Film Award, five SIIMA Awards and two Filmfare Awards South. In 2021, Keerthy was featured in Forbes India 30 Under 30 list. However, being an actress, she earns Rs 2-4 crore per movie and a few lakhs per brand endorsement.
Final Thoughts
South Indian actresses are on a remarkable rise, with their earnings reflecting their growing influence in the industry. Their success in films, brand collaborations, and social media presence has opened up new earning opportunities. As the industry flourishes, these actresses continue to set new benchmarks for success. With global audiences and streaming platforms, their earning potential has never been higher. 2025 promises to bring even more exciting milestones. Who do you consider the top actress today in South Indian films? Let us know in the comments!
