The era when the South Indian film industries were perceived as the lesser counterparts to Hindi cinema has come to an end. In the past decade, the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam film sectors have consistently outperformed Hindi films at the box office. This success has elevated the status of South Indian stars, with some now competing with the leading Bollywood superstars in terms of financial wealth. Notably, the wealthiest actor from South India surpasses many of his Bollywood counterparts.

South India's richest actor

Currently, Telugu superstar Nagarjuna Akkineni holds the title of the richest South Indian actor. As reported by Moneycontrol, Nagarjuna boasts a net worth of $410 million (over ₹3572 crore), positioning him among the wealthiest actors in India, trailing only behind Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla. His substantial fortune exceeds that of prominent Bollywood figures such as Amitabh Bachchan (₹3200 crore), Hrithik Roshan (₹3100 crore), Salman Khan (₹2900 crore), Akshay Kumar (₹2700 crore), and Aamir Khan (₹1900 crore).

Nagarjuna's wealth surpasses that of Amitabh Bachchan, his co-star in Khuda Gawah. Among actors from the four South Indian film industries, Nagarjuna is followed by his peer Chiranjeevi, who has an estimated net worth of ₹1650 crore. Other notable wealthy South Indian stars include Ram Charan (₹1370 crore), Kamal Haasan (₹600 crore), Rajinikanth (₹500 crore), Jr NTR (₹500 crore), and Prabhas (₹250 crore).

How Nagarjuna made his millions

Nagarjuna's financial success can be attributed to his status as one of the most accomplished actors in Telugu cinema, although he was not always the leading star. That distinction was held by Chiranjeevi for many years, until Prabhas and Ram Charan emerged as prominent figures. Nevertheless, Nagarjuna's wealth is greater than that of all these actors combined, thanks to a blend of astute business ventures and inheritance.

Nagarjuna has amassed his wealth not only through his film career but also via investments in various sectors, including real estate, cinema, and sports franchises. He is the proprietor of Annapurna Studios, one of the largest production houses and studios in Tollywood. Additionally, he owns N3 Realty Enterprises, a firm specializing in real estate and construction. According to Dainik Bhaskar, the total value of Nagarjuna's real estate holdings is approximately ₹900 crore. Furthermore, he possesses three sports franchises and a collection of luxury items, which includes a private jet and more than six high-end automobiles.

In the realm of cinema, Nagarjuna has enjoyed a remarkable career, starring in major hits such as Mass, Siva, Don, and Manam, among others. He has also appeared in Hindi films, including Khuda Gawah, Criminal, Zakhm, and Brahmastra.

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