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It has only been a few months since Kochi got a glimpse of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan when he came over to inaugurate a showroom.

While the hoardings have not yet come down, it is time for the city to meet yet another top star from B-Town. Katrina Kaif will be making a brief visit to Kochi to walk the ramp at an upcoming fashion do, to be held on March 25.

Those involved with organising the do tell us that Katrina is allegedly being paid as much as `1 crore to be on the ramp for exactly 10 minutes. Incidentally, the amount offered to a local star for a similar outing does not even come up to half of what Katrina has been offered. "Bollywood stars stand to gain a lot more than local actors. Stars from other south films manage to take home the next high amount. For instance, actresses like Shreya Saran, Asin and Trisha get paid as much as `30 lakh for an appearance. Though, most often, an appearance will also include payment in kind - a gift from the place they are inaugurating," says a source.

Among local stars, Suresh Gopi, Samvritha Sunil and Kavya Madhavan top the list of actors who are often roped in for public appearances - be it an inauguration, or dance show, or even just a brief presence at an event.

Superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal are said to prefer endorsing brands than accepting minimal amounts for public appearances. "Sticking on as the face of a brand for over two to three years seems like a feasible option for these busy stars, who would not really be able to accommodate many changes in their schedule. And a two to three crore deal that requires one single photo shoot or presence is quite worth their time too," says a source.
On those rare occasions when Mammootty does take time off to make a public appearance, he ensures that the beneficiaries sponsor a child’s surgery or education with the money they may have put aside for his remuneration.

Who’s taking how much home...

2 crore and above
Shah Rukh Khan

1 crore and above
Katrina Kaif
(the list includes other A-listers from Bollywood)

20 lakh to `40 lakh
South film actors like Trisha, Lakshmi Rai, Madhavan and Shreya Saran

`2 lakh to `12 lakh
Actors like Suresh Gopi, Samvrutha Sunil and Kavya Madhavan

1 lakh to 2 lakh
Ananya, Bhama, Rima Kallingal, Remya Nambeesan, Meera Nandan, Vimala Raman, Archana Kavi etc

Exceptions
Actors like Mohanlal and Mammootty may make public appearance based on the equation they share with those inviting them.

These are approximate figures provided by reliable industry sources and are subject to change.