Following, according to the newspaper Mail Today, is the ratelist for Bollywood stars fees for attending parties, weddings and inaugurations. No doubt Shah Rukh Khan tops the three lists:
FEE FOR PARTIES
Shah Rukh Khan Rs 2 crore, Hrithik Roshan Rs 1.5 crore, Salman Khan Rs 1.5 crore, Akshay Kumar Rs 1.5 crore, Katrina Kaif Rs 60 lakh, Kareena Kapoor Rs 60 lakh, Priyanka Chopra Rs 50 lakh, Sushmita Sen Rs 35 lakh.
FEE FOR WEDDINGS:
Shah Rukh Khan Rs 3 crore, Akshay Kumar Rs 2.5 crore, Hrithik Roshan Rs 2.5 crore, Salman Khan Rs 2 crore, Katrina Kaif Rs 1.5 crore (corporate bashes), Priyanka Chopra Rs 1 crore (corporate bashes)
FEE FOR INAUGURATIONS:
Shah Rukh Khan Rs 1.5 crore, Salman Khan Rs 1 crore, Akshay Kumar Rs 1.30 crore, Saif Ali Khan Rs 90 lakh, John Abraham Rs 80 lakh, Katrina Kaif Rs 30 lakh, Kareena Kapoor Rs 30 lakh, Priyanka Chopra Rs 25 lakh, Deepika Padukone Rs 20 lakh
(All figures based on industry source estimates)
King Khan's entertainment package — dance, witty one- liners, photo- ops and meeting the guests — can cost up to Rs 3 crore.
Akshay Kumar's presence costs about Rs 2.5 crore. Akki spices up his acts with dance, comic stuff and action.
Salman Khan charges anything between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 2 crore for a jig at private functions while Hrithik Roshan's presence could make you poorer by Rs 2.5 crore.
But the payment can go up if there are special requests — additional dance performances, group photographs, accompanying the bride or groom to the venue etc.
Mumbai- based wedding planner Ritu Dhanuka says: “ Generally, everything is decided on a minute- to- minute basis.”
The demand for stars to spice up private functions — from birthday bashes to parties — has gone up over the last few years. The duration of the star's appearance at a do can range between 10 minutes and half- an- hour, depending on the negotiations.
Generally, Bollywood's A- list heroines give weddings a miss — that's one occasion when one meets too many people, many of them ‘ ardent' fans who might come up with too many requests. But they are okay with shaking a leg or simply preening and posing at corporate functions.
According to market sources, top names such as Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor won't settle for anything below Rs 1.5 crore. Priyanka Chopra too charges over Rs 1 crore.
“Hiring Bollywood actors displays your spending power,” says Sanjay Dharewa, who owns a celebrity management company in Kolkata. Dharewa says stars are even ready to change their work schedules if a hefty fee is offered.
“But in India, top stars are not always in huge demand because not many can afford them,” says Adnan Morbiwala of Mumbaibased Pegasus Events, an event management company. “Top stars are always in demand in the Middle-East markets.” That's where the B-team steps in.
Names such as Celina Jaitley, Amisha Patel, Dia Mirza, Malaika Arora Khan, Minissha Lamba and Rakhi Sawant could grace your wedding if you shell out around Rs10 lakh to Rs15 lakh. Others such as Koena Mitra, Preeti Jhangiani, Payal Rohatgi, Sanobar Kabir and Mandira Bedi cost around Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.
“The likes of Rakhi and Malaika are in demand because they are affordable. They dance longer and add drama and colour more freely. They also throw lesser tantrums,” says Adnan.
Let alone dancing, even a simple appearance can cost a bomb. While SRK reportedly charges about Rs 2 crore for just attending a party, Salman and Akshay are believed to ask for more than a crore. Hrithik also costs about Rs 1.5 crore.
Among the heroines, Katrina and Kareena are believed to demand about Rs 55 lakh for every such appearance. While you could get Priyanka Chopra for Rs 50 lakh, the likes of Sushmita Sen and Mallika Sherawat charge about Rs 30 lakh.
Insiders say the stars are very particular about the details. “A hired star never does anything except what's written in the contract. Once, a star had refused to meet the groom's parents at a wedding since it was not mentioned in the contract. And no one can force them because they can also leave the do midway,” says a source.
Apart from weddings, inaugural functions are also a convenient way to earn quick money. While SRK and Salman charge up to Rs 1.5 crore for a store opening, Akshay and Hrithik are likely to come for a crore. Saif Ali Khan and John Abraham charge about Rs 80 lakh.
Among the girls, Katrina and Kareena are likely to charge about Rs 30 lakh for ribbon-cutting. Priyanka Chopra will agree for Rs 25 lakh while Deepika Padukone gets around Rs 20 lakh. Of course, if the event is outside Mumbai, there are the flight tickets ( always business class) and five- star accommodation to be taken care of.
And mind you, stars travel with an entourage that includes the hairstylist, make- up person, secretary, at least two guards and on most occasions a few family members. And they won't budge from the airport till they receive the cheque.
