Reports are circulating that Rashmika Mandanna is charging Rs 15 crore for her upcoming Hindi film Cocktail 2, which would mark the highest paycheck of her career. The romantic drama, to be released in theatres on June 19, co-stars Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.
While several entertainment portals state she has locked in this Rs 15 crore figure, trade analysts and industry insiders are skeptical. While her pan-India demand has risen after Animal, Pushpa 2 and Chhaava, a double-digit figure like Rs 10 crore is realistic for her current Bollywood market value.
The speculative reports may have been planted to keep the Bollywood film in news somehow. These days, headlines related to Rashmika attract more attention than those involving Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.
But what if the reports are not too off the mark? That should tell something about the state of the Telugu film industry, where star heroines might still be struggling to match Bollywood levels. Did Rashmika receive on-par remuneration for The Girlfriend, a film she fronted? Is she receiving a comparable salary for Ranabaali, a period action drama in which she doesn't have a regular character?
