The fast, furious and fleeting appearance of King Khan in Gurgaontakes the revellers' breath away. Even more breathtaking, however, isthat SRK flew back to Mumbai the next morning, richer, reportedly by Rs5 crore that was paid for his 10-minute cameo.
The Rs 1500 crore hero
A fleeting appearance by Shah Rukh Khan makes him richer by Rs 5 crore.The breathtaking tale of Bollywood's richest actor.
By: Dhiman Chattopadhyay and Anusha Subramanian (Business Today)
December 31, 2009: Time: Close to the witching hour. Location:A party hotspot in Gurgaon on New Delhi's outskirts to which acity-based gutkha baron has invited hundreds of celebrities andwannabes to usher in the New Year. A string of performers-from singerShankar Mahadevan to starlets such as Minissha Lamba-strut their stuff.Suddenly, out of nowhere emerges an eminently recognisable bundle ofnervous energy-a certain Shah Rukh Khan. He jokes, shakes a leg anddoes a quick song-and-dance routine. The fast, furious and fleetingappearance of the 44-year-old Badshah of Bollywood takes the revellers'breath away. Even more breathtaking, however, is that SRK flew back toMumbai the next morning, richer, reportedly by Rs 5 crore that was paidfor his 10-minute cameo.
November 2009: SRK is shooting a new ad for direct-to-home (DTH)service provider Dish TV-a film in which SRK as a senior citizenrelives his romantic heydays thanks to the pictures beamed by Dish TVon the telly. Between shots he quizzes company COO Salil Kapoor on theDTH business, and is keen to know how it works. He also doesn't losethe opportunity to tell the agency, McCann Erickson, that the ad wasconceptualised by him. "But what impressed me most was his knowledge ofconsumer behaviour and marketing. He could easily give a lecture at anIIM on the subject," says Kapoor. The ad is shot over three days afterwhich SRK walks away with a Rs 7-crore cheque.
February 12, 2010: My Name is Khan, produced by Karan Johar'sDharma Productions, is slated for release. The story of an autisticMumbai Muslim who marries a Hindu could add some Rs 10 crore to SRK'skitty if audiences lap it up. Eleven days prior to this, Shah Rukh rangthe opening bell at the New York-based NASDAQ stock exchange, an honourusually reserved for CEOs.
February 26: Discovery Travel and Living's 10-part series,Living with a Superstar-Shah Rukh Khan, will go on air. The biggestIndian show on TV, with a budget of nearly Rs 20 crore, delves intodifferent shades of SRK's life: As a father, a husband, a businessman,and of course, an entertainer. SRK personally will not earn much fromthis show. Red Chillies Idiot Box, an arm of SRK's Red ChilliesEntertainment, which is co-producing the show, stands to gain much ofthe spoils. Discovery has already sold all ad inventories for thisshow.
Every step he takes, every move he makes, somebody's out therewatching him-and somebody's out there willing to pay a small fortune tosee him perform. Whether he's acting, or endorsing a brand, or justbeing himself at an awards ceremony, SRK mints money. And let's notforget the company he owns along with wife Gauri: Red ChilliesEntertainment, which has diversified into highgrowth areas ofentertainment like visual effects, television commercials, televisionprogramming, in addition to the mainstay of film-making. Put all theseinterests together and you have a superstar with a net worth of roughlyRs 1,500 crore, making him arguably Bollywood's richest star.
Bollywood's Richest Actor
THE Rs 1,500* cr HERO
BRAND ENDORSEMENTS : Rs 238 cr, 34 brands; charges Rs 7 crore for each
SHOWS AND EVENTS: Rs 75 cr
ACTING IN FILMS: Rs 12 cr Per film or a share of the profit
RED CHILLIES ENTERTAINMENT (Including Kolkata Knight Riders): Rs 500 cr
MISC. ASSETS: Rs 10 cr Includes luxury cars, designer watches, etc.
REAL ESTATE: Rs 650 cr Includes homes in Mumbai, London and Dubai, and other real estate investments
* Estimates based on sources such as TAM, www.mca.gov.in, and industry sources.
