Soubin Shahir Coolie Salary: Did Malayalam Star Get Paid Less Than Co-Stars?

Soubin Shahir Coolie Salary: Coolie, produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has put together one of the strongest casts in the whole of Indian Cinema, starring none other than Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead. The movie boasts a mix of South India megastars, along with Bollywood faces like Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Pooja Hegde, Sathyaraj, Upendra Rao, and Malayali talent Soubin Shahir. However much enthusiasm surges for the movie, the details of the remuneration for the cast have sparked discussion in particular for Soubin’s pay.

The Figures That Lie Behind the Hype

Reportedly, between ₹150 crores and ₹250 crores have been taken home by Rajinikanth. Which rightly keeps him in the list of India’s highest-paid actors even at the age of 74. It is speculated that the Telugu Megastar Nagarjuna, who plays the antagonist Simon, charges around ₹24 crore to ₹30 crore.

Aamir Khan made a cameo appearance without charging anything. According to reports, he did it as a very deep gesture of respect for Rajinikanth. Reportedly, Shruti Haasan has been paid ₹4 crore, whereas, for her special song, Pooja Hegde got ₹3 crore. Veteran actor Sathyaraj is said to have charged ₹5 crores, and Kannada star Upendra Rao was said to have been paid ₹4 crore.

Compared to this, Soubin Shahir, the Malayalam superstar, has got ₹1 crore for his role, which is the least of everyone in the main credited cast. Lokesh Kanagaraj himself is said to have taken home ₹50 crore for directing the film.

Also Read: Coolie Vs War 2 Advance Booking: Rajinikanth or Jr. NTR: Who Earns More?

Reasons for the Pay Inequalities

The varied scope of the market for each actor reflects such a disparity. And though Soubin is one of the most respected diverse and versatile performers in the Malayalam cinema scene. This film Coolie forms one of the biggest scopes of his career pan-India. For many actors, such roles are strategically planned: exposure for wider market reach instead of immediate parity in pay.

Though Soubin’s fees are relatively small, it is significant that he has stepped into a Rajinikanth-Lokesh project. Which could prove instrumental in his becoming a household name across India. If he performs well, it could pay back with lots more zeroes in future Tamil, Telugu, or Hindi projects.