Jr NTR beats Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu's remuneration?

Hyderabad: Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Babu are the highest paid actors in Telugu film industry. If we are to go by the latest reports, young tiger Junior NTR has beaten these Superstars by pocketing highest amount of remuneration for producer Bellamkonda Suresh's upcoming Tollywood movie Rabhasa, which was launched in Hyderabad on February 13. This film is being directed by Santosh Srinivas.

Power star Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Mahesh Babu are reportedly being paid Rs 15 crore each for a film. Whereas other leading stars like Ram Charan Teja and Prabhas are charging Rs 12 crore and Rs 8 crore respectively. Now, Bellamkonda Suresh is said to have agreed to pay him Rs 18 crores Junior NTR to star in his upcoming movie Rabhasa. Many in the industry wonder how this Nandamuri family scion, who does not have a Blockbuster in recent years, has become the highest paid Telugu star.

But a leading Telugu film distributor opines that Junior NTR is one among the top stars of Tollywood. The actor has expanded his market beyond Rs 40 crore in the domestic Box Office. But he needs to improve the business of his movies in overseas collection centres. He needs a solid blockbuster to justify his revised price tag.

Meanwhile, Bellamkonda has denied the reports saying, "I am not so rich to offer such a fancy price." Talking to Deccan Chronicle the producer adds, "I am not making a Bollywood or Hollywood film, the market for which is more than Rs 100 crore. Telugu films have a limited market and budget, so the remuneration package should be feasible. It was not the money, but the exciting script by Santhosh Srinivas that clinched the deal."