New Delhi, 16 March 2019
Since the golden era of talkies, Indian cinema has celebrated the art of song and dance, making it an integral part of storytelling. Unlike Western films, nearly all Indian movies feature musical numbers, with item songs taking center stage as a unique genre exclusive to Bollywood.
These special dance sequences have evolved over time, becoming crucial marketing tools for films. As a result, leading ladies are now demanding sky-high fees for their appearances in these item numbers, leveraging their star power to secure lucrative deals.
When it comes to these dance numbers, leading ladies frequently demand the highest fees since they want to capitalize more on their star power than on their dancing skills. When Kareena Kapoor performed item songs in the past, her fees used to exceed Rs 1.5 crore. Katrina Kaif apparently charges around Rs 2 million each song, while Tamannaah Bhatia reportedly earns Rs 1 crore per song. Jacqueline Fernandez is one of the most paid actresses in this genre, earning Rs 3 crore for each song.
The south industry’s lady superstar is leading the pack, leaving all the acctresses behind. Samantha received a 5-crore payout for the ‘Oo Antava’ song, whilst Rashmika Mandanna, the female lead of Pushpa, was only paid Rs. 2 crore for the entire film.
Prateeksha Kumari is a journalist and strategic communications professional specialising in digital journalism, political reporting, and public affairs. Her work focuses on grassroots issues, governance, and civic developments, with an emphasis on clarity, accuracy, and narrative-driven reporting.
She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and has qualified the UGC-NET examination, reflecting her academic grounding in media studies and communication research. Her reporting spans politics, public policy, health, education, and socio-economic issues, and she is experienced in bilingual (Hindi and English) content creation tailored to diverse audiences.
Alongside her journalistic work, she brings experience in political communication and public relations, where she has contributed to campaign messaging, media outreach, and narrative building. She has worked on integrated communication strategies across print and digital platforms, combining editorial judgment with audience insight and data-led content approaches.