    
Aavakaaya
Bewarse
Username: Aavakaaya
Post Number: 1178
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 195.220.151.50
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 28, 2005 - 1:34 am: |    |
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11 80852.cms
It's more paying to be Cheeranjeevi than SRK
With its advertising market ballooning at Rs 4,000 crore, star power is going south. Marketers are rushing to snap up southern stars for brand and product endorsements.
The limited geographical appeal of the actors notwithstanding, marketers are dishing out hefty fees, which, in most cases, are higher than what Bollywood superstars charge.
According to sources, Shahrukh Khan and Amir Khan, the most sought after stars in the endorsement orb, charge around Rs 2-3 cr a year per deal, while Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgan and others are paid around Rs 1-1.5 cr a deal. Whereas Cheeranjeevi, Vijay, Madhavan and Vikram, top stars in south, charge around Rs 2-4 cr depending upon the exposure required.
Cheeranjeevi, incidentally, is one of the highest paid actors in the country. He charges around Rs 7-8 cr a film, whereas SRK, the highest paid actor in Bollywood, gets around Rs 5 to 6 cr a film, say sources.
Amitabh Bachchan, with a price tag of around Rs 4 cr a deal, of course, remains the costliest star. But sources say that if Rajnikanth, the mega star of south, were to jump into the fray, he would be as pricey as Big B.
As for the fair sex, the story is no different between north and south. It, in fact, is as unfair as ever. Sources say, Preity Zinta, Kajol, Jyothika and Trishna Krishnan all get around Rs 50-70 lakh a deal.
Though Bollywood stars cater to a much bigger market in comparison with their southern counterparts, who have virtually no brand appeal beyond the four states in the south, marketers seem ready to bet on them.
Says Sanjay Bhutiani, CEO, P9 Integrated: "Of the 1,000 odd films India produces a year, around 500 come out of South. Chandramukhi, a recent Rajnikanth starer grossed around Rs 60 cr, which is unheard of in Bollywood. Films stars in south are far bigger draws than their Bollywood counterparts and hence, the exorbitant prices."
The trend of roping in stars was initiated by cola brands but now even FMCG and automobile companies have joined the race. TVS, Coke and Pepsi have already signed Vijay, Surya and Vikram, and others like J&J, Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto are looking for suitable brand fits, say sources.
Emami Group, this week, signed Chiranjeevi and Upendra, the Kannada super-star, for its Navratna hair oil brand, which is also endorsed by Bachchan. The company dubs it an intelligent investment.
"Localising communication is a prerequisite for a diverse market like India. And what better way to have a local star communicate your brand message," says Harshvardhan Aggarwal, director, Emami group. |
