The long-legged beauty recently made headlines by charging a whopping 20 crore fee (US$2.7 million) for her upcoming, currently untitled film with Baahubali actor, Prabhas – the highest of any Indian actress on record. As Bollywood still suffers from a marked gender pay disparity, Padukone has emerged as the poster girl for the equal pay movement, charging a gargantuan sum on par with her bankable fame, and in the same ballpark as all but the very biggest male stars.

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And why wouldn’t she? From consecutive hit films and high-end endorsement deals to carving a niche in Hollywood, Padukone has delivered the goods and now boasts a predicted net worth of US$40 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Copenhagen-born, she started out as a model, getting her big break in 2007’s Om Shanti Om, which she did for free stating that she was “grateful for the fortunate start”.

Since then she has starred in hit titles like Love Aaj Kal (2009), Cocktail (2012), Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013), Happy New Year (2014) and Bajirao Mastani (2015).

Padukone’s career took a massive turn in 2018 after her big-budget period drama, Padmaavat, stormed the box-office, raking in US$76 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of the year. It was reported that for her titular role, Rani Padmavati, she received a salary of US$1.7 million, a trivial sum if compared to the film’s takings, but a sum that has helped cement Padukone as India’s top-paid actress.

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However, we know her hefty income derives much from lucrative brand endorsements. As India’s reigning ads queen, she has appeared in commercials from big brands like Coca-Cola, Oppo, Nike, L'Oréal Paris, Gillette Venus and Tissot among others. In 2020 alone, it’s reported that Padukone endorsed 23 brands while charging US$1 million for a three-day shoot!

The daughter of badminton legend Prakash Padukone doesn’t just accumulate though: she also speculates, investing in local start-ups: Drum Foods, Furlenco, Blu Smart and Purplle via the investment firm Ka Enterprises that she set up with her father. Elsewhere, she has also launched a production company, Ka Production, and produced Chhapaak (2020) – a film about an acid attack survivor that made US$6 million gross worldwide.

If that’s not enough, the starlet also had a fashion label All About You that was recently acquired by Walmart-owned fashion retailer, Myntra, for an undisclosed amount.

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While the 34-year-old actress works hard, Padukone also enjoys the spoils, as is visible from her jaw-dropping splurges on cars and handbags. Her wheel include Audi Q7 and A8, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Maybach S500 and Mini Cooper. She also loves collecting designer bags including the Celine Phantom, Gucci Dionysus, Chanel Deauville and Hermès Kelly.

Property-wise, she is currently living in a unit in the premium Beaumonde Towers in the upscale Prabhadevi area of Mumbai which cost over US$2 million. Padukone is also reported to own other flats around town that she has leased.

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