Priyanka Chopra has once again rewritten the rules of the Indian film industry. Despite not starring in an Indian movie for six years, she has now become the highest-paid actress in the country. According to reports, she is charging £2.7 million (₹30 crore) for her upcoming film with SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu. This puts her ahead of Bollywood’s top stars like Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, and Kareena Kapoor.
Actor salaries in Indian cinema have always been a topic of speculation, but Priyanka’s latest paycheck has confirmed a major shift. Traditionally, male actors dominate the highest-paid list, with stars like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan earning £9 million (₹100 crore) per film. However, Priyanka’s new deal shows that female actors are closing the gap.
Priyanka Chopra surpasses Deepika and Alia to become the highest-paid Indian actressGetty Images
Previously, Deepika Padukone held the title for highest-paid actress, earning £1.8 million (₹20 crore) for Kalki 2898 AD. Alia Bhatt, another leading name, reportedly charges around £1.3 million (₹15 crore) per film. Other top actresses like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu make around £900K+ (₹10 crore+) or more per project.
Priyanka has been away from Indian films since The Sky Is Pink and before that Jai Gangaajal. Instead of just focusing on Bollywood, she built a strong career in Hollywood, starring in The White Tiger, The Matrix Resurrections, and Amazon Prime’s Citadel, for which she reportedly earned £4 million+ (₹41 crore). She also has Heads of State with Idris Elba and John Cena lined up for release.
The Bollywood-Hollywood icon secures a historic £2.7M (₹30 crore) dealGetty Images
Her return with SS Rajamouli’s untitled project, tentatively named as SSMB29, is a major moment for Indian cinema. The film also marks her comeback to South Indian films after more than two decades. A source close to the project revealed that finalising her role took time because she refused to lower her fee and rightfully so, considering male actors regularly demand much higher amounts.
Apart from acting, Priyanka is a global icon. She is a UNICEF ambassador, producer, and entrepreneur. Her reported net worth of £55 million (₹650 crore) reflects her diverse career spanning Bollywood, Hollywood, and multiple top brand endorsements.
The actress returns after six years with a record paycheckGetty Images
With her return to Indian cinema, he isn’t just making a comeback but also setting a new benchmarks for female actors in Indian films.
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.