Just when everyone thought Hrithik Roshan beat Salman Khan to a multi-crore satellite rights deal, the "Sultan" star changed the headlines. For his next 10 releases, the slightly senior superstar will apparently get paid a staggering Rs 1,000 crore by a leading television network.
Salman's fee has been doubled courtesy the blockbusters he has been churning since "Bajrangi Bhaijaan," a source informed DNA. A few years ago, he had signed an impressive Rs 500 crore deal (starting with "Bodyguard") with the channel, which means he was getting paid Rs 50 crore for each of his films during the period.
"But with Salman's past few releases all being blockbusters — 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' and 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo,' for example — channels are willing to pay him triple the amount to air his films and have his presence grace their shows — be it reality shows or sports-based programmes. He recently re-negotiated his earlier contract with the same channel," the insider further elaborated.
The amount Salman is being paid is way higher than what most top league stars walk away with. Ajay Devgn and Varun Dhawan had signed Rs 400 crore and Rs 300 crore deals, respectively (10 films each) with the same channel.
Interestingly, Hrithik Roshan's Rs 550 crore deal (scheduled to take off next year) is valid only for six of his upcoming films.
In fact, 2017 will begin with a bang for him with his home production 'Kaabil,' a Sanjay Gupta-directed action-drama, which along with Shah Rukh Khan's Raees will be one of the first big films of the year to unveil on the Republic Day weekend. Even before the film went on the floors, satellite rights were sold for Rs 45 crore," Mumbai Mirror quoted a source as saying.
In other news, Salman will soon kick-start the first schedule of Kabir Khan's "Tubelight," which is expected to hit screens on Eid 2017. The actor will then begin Rajkumar Santoshi's untitled project; it may or may not star Katrina Kaif.
