In a recent interview, director Lokesh Kanagaraj opened up that his salary for his upcoming Rajinikanth film Coolie has been increased to Rs 50 crore which caused ripples of reactions online. As the powerhouse of any film, directors take up multiple responsibilities. And after carving a niche for themselves over the years and giving several blockbuster hits, not just their popularity but also their remuneration has seen a significant rise.
Here’s a look at some of the highest-paid Tamil directors:
After making the hit Raja Rani (2013) with Nayanthara and Arya, the director rose to the front of the film game after his three consecutive film collaborations with Vijay - Theri (2016), Mersal (2017) and Bigil (2019). Following that, he made his blockbuster Bollywood debut with Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan (2023) which earned over Rs 1000 crore at the box office. His renumeration, according to IMDb stands at Rs 60 crore.
After establishing his filmmaking style in the critically acclaimed Maanagaram (2017), Lokesh made the brooding thriller Kaithi (2019) and the action thriller Master (2021) with Vijay. Then came the superhit Vikram (2022) with Kamal Haasan and followed it up with his second collaboration with Vijay in Leo (2023). As he awaits the release of Rajinikanth's Coolie, he revealed his salary has increased to Rs 50 crore after Leo's success.
The legendary filmmaker with over three decades of experience started his career as an assistant to director SA Chandrasekhar. After Gentleman (1993), he became known for his vigilante films where a common man takes law in his hands to change society. Mudhalvan (1999), Indian (1996), and Anniyan (2005) established that, but Enthiran (2010) truly changed the game and revolutionised Indian cinema. Shankar is currently working on Indian 3 and his salary is on the range of Rs 40-50 crore (source: IMDb) per film.
Known for dark humour in his films, Nelson first rose to fame with Nayanthara's Kolamaavu Kokila (2018). His second film Doctor (2021) with Sivakarthikeyan, showcased the actor in a different light than his previous films and was well-appreciated for its filmmaking and story. He followed it up with Vijay's Beast and Rajinikanth's blockbuster Jailer. After his production debut with Kavin's Bloody Beggar (2024), he is now working on Jailer 2. According to reports, the filmmaker has been paid a whopping Rs 60 crore for Jailer 2.
AR Murugadoss has dabbled in the action zone for many films, first of which was Dheena (2001). The insanely popular Vijayakanth's Ramanaa (2002) and Suriya's Ghajini (2008) propelled him to fame across India. His popularity continued with strong scripts and filmmaking in 7 Aum Arivu (2011), Thuppakki (2012) and Kaththi (2014). He also collaborated with Rajinikanth in Darbar (2020). He last made Sikandar with Salman Khan and is awaiting the release of Sivakarthikeyan's Madharasi. According to reports, he earned Rs 20 crore for Sikandar.
One of Indian cinema’s most revered filmmakers, Mani Ratnam rose to fame with his unique storytelling style. Starting with Mouna Ragam and achieving nationwide acclaim through Nayakan (1987), he cemented his legacy with classics like Roja (1992), Bombay (1995), Dil Se (1998), and Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). Following the epic Ponniyin Selvan duology, he recently reunited with Kamal Haasan on Thug Life after 38 years. While it is reported that he earns Rs 20 crore per movie, it varies as he often takes a profit-sharing approach.