‘Chhaava’ Cast Fee: Vicky Kaushal Earns 4 Times More Than Rashmika; Akshaye Khanna’s Salary Shocks Fans

Vicky Kaushal’s latest film Chhaava has set the box office on fire, making a record-breaking ?31 crore on its opening day, becoming the highest opener of 2025. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film has earned praise for the stellar performances of its lead cast. According to the reports Vicky Kaushal, who plays the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, earned a massive ?10 crore for his role, making up nearly 7% of the film's budget. This salary is similar to what he earned for Bad Newz but lower than his ?12 crore paycheck for URI: The Surgical Strike.

On the other hand, Rashmika Mandanna, who plays Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale, was paid ?4 crore for her role. While the pay gap between Vicky and Rashmika seems large, it’s Akshaye Khanna's salary that has left fans shocked. The veteran actor, who plays the antagonist Aurangzeb, reportedly earned only ?2.5 crore, five times less than Vicky’s earnings. Though his remuneration is an increase from ?2 crore in Drishyam 2, fans believe that Akshaye’s powerful performance in Chhaava deserved a higher paycheck.

Other supporting cast members, including Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta, had varying paychecks, with Ashutosh earning ?80 lakh for his role as Hambirrao Mohite, and Divya receiving ?45 lakh as Rajmata Soyarabai Bhosale.

Despite the pay disparities, the film’s performances remain the highlight. Chhaava earned a 3.5-star rating from ETimes, with praise for Vicky Kaushal’s portrayal of Sambhaji Maharaj. However, the review also pointed out the limited screen space for women, with Divya Dutta’s role being underutilized and Rashmika struggling with her language and accent. Chhaava shines in its gripping second half, with an intense climax led by Vicky Kaushal’s powerful performance.