‘Rs 150 cr for 20 days of work’: Kamal Haasan’s eye-watering fee for Kalki 2898 revealed, makes him highest earning actor in India

The story did not end there. Sethu went on to share that Kamal introduced him to the film’s producer, C. Aswani Dutt, at which point he jokingly thanked Dutt for making their friend the highest-paid actor in the country. Dutt then corrected him, saying Kamal had only given 10 days to the shoot, not 20. Sethu’s response: “Sorry, I correct myself then, it’s $2 million per day.”

Sethu’s remarks carry some weight beyond being casual praise. He is a long-time associate of Kamal Haasan, having acted alongside him in films like Panchatanthiram (2002) and Anbe Sivam (2003). The two share a friendship that spans over two decades, which gives his comments a tone of personal pride as much as industry observation.

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In the film, Kamal played Supreme Yaskin, a totalitarian god-king ruling a dystopian world known as the Complex. Despite having limited screen time, his character holds a central place in the larger narrative, with the film’s ending strongly hinting at a much expanded role in the sequel.

The claim also comes at a moment when Kamal Haasan’s standing in the industry has clearly shifted. His market had been on the decline for much of the past decade before a significant comeback with Vikram in 2022, which earned close to Rs 400 crore against a budget of Rs 150 crore, and sharply elevated his commercial value.

Work on the Kalki sequel is already underway, with Amitabh Bachchan sharing photographs from the set alongside Kamal, writing that the two were working together after a long time. Beyond that, Kamal Haasan is also set to collaborate with Rajinikanth in a film to be directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, best known for helming Jailer.