India's richest actress is worth Rs 776 crore, has no solo hit in 14 years; still beat Deepika, Priyanka, Alia, Katrina

The tag of richest actor or actress in any film industry usually resides with the pre-dominant performer of that generation. As actors from the older generation fade away, newer stars take their place and mantle. This, however, has not happened in Bollywood in one aspect. The richest actress in the industry – and consequently all of India – has stayed constant for nearly 20 years despite the fluctuating fortunes of the star in question.

Meet India’s richest actress, with Rs 776 net worth

Aishwarya Ra Bachchan has been the richest actress in India since the mid-2000s. The star has worked in a number of big films over the years, right from her debut in the mid-90s. A combination of films’ fees, endorsements, and business investments has allowed Aishwarya to amass a reported wealth of around Rs 776 crore, the highest of any actress in all of India.

How Aishwarya beat other younger and more successful actresses

If one talks about box office record, the past decade has belonged largely to Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra in Hindi films, and Nayanthara, Anushka Shetty, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the south. Alia Bhatt has begun to climb up the charts in the last five years. Yet none of these actresses are anywhere close to Aishwarya. Priyanka Chopra sits at the second spot with a reported net worth of Rs 600 crore, followed by Deepika Padukone at Rs 550 crore. Alia Bhatt also has a reported net worth of over Rs 500 crore. Even Aishwarya’s contemporaries like Kareena Kapoor (Rs 485 crore) and Kajol (Rs 250 crore) are far behind her.

How Aishwarya Rai has maintained her wealth

Interestingly, the last solo hit in Aishwarya’s career was Enthiran in 2010. Since then, all her films in lead role – such as Guzaarish, Jazbaa, and Sarbjit – have failed at the box office. But Aishwarya has smartly changed tactics to be part of bigger films in small but significant roles. Ponniyin Selvan, for instance, earned Rs 800 crore at the box office, and her performance was praised too. But what makes Aishwarya so wealthy is her dominance over endorsements of international brands for over two decades. She has been the face of brands like L’Oreal and Longines for years now. Her appearance in Hollywood films as well as the Cannes red carpet has made a globally recognised face. This is what makes her India’s richest actress.

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