It's a mixed bag for Bollywood actors in advanced tax payments

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has emerged as one of the biggest tax-payers amongst actors, by paying a quarterly advance tax of Rs six-crore.

The khiladi star, whose tax payment grew from Rs4.5 crore in the corresponding period last year to this year's Rs6 crore, has others like Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif for company in the club of stars whose tax payments have risen year-on-year.

However, 2010's October-December period does not seem to be so blissful for stars like Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan, whose advance tax payments have declined this year, an Income Tax source told PTI in Mumbai.

As against the Rs4 crore in advance tax he had paid last year, Aamir Khan paid Rs3.70 crore this year while Hrithik Roshan's advance tax payment came down by half to Rs1 crore, the source said.

Ranbir Kapoor paid Rs2.5 crore in advance tax versus last year's nil but the source was quick to point out that last year the star from the Kapoor clan had chosen not to pay any advance tax in this period.

However, the source said that these are preliminary numbers as the deadline for filing returns is tomorrow.

Advance tax payment system is a way of staggered payment of taxes and is kept for the benefit of tax-payers who find difficulties arranging a big amount at the end of each fiscal. 

Generally, the advance tax payments - which happen on a quarterly basis - are seen as a barometer of the tax payer's annual income.