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| Has Akshay Kumar replaced Shah Rukh Khan !!! By MM, 11 January, 2009 |
 Over the last two years Shah Rukh Khan has been the highest advance tax payer in the country. This year, however, the seemingly invincible Khan has slipped to the number two position. This time it's Akshay Kumar who has paid the highest advance tax, of Rs 19 crore (till December 15, 2008), said our source in the Income Tax Department. Based on this advance tax, his annual income is estimated to be about a little over Rs 80 crore. Shah Rukh Khan, in comparison, has paid Rs 15 crore as advance tax (till December 15, 2008).What makes the figures interesting is the immediate question: has Akshay overtaken Shah Rukh in the Bollywood race? Last year (till March 31, 2008) SRK's advance tax payment was a whopping Rs 31 crore, while Akshay had paid only Rs 12 crore. Also, this year, SRK's company Red Chillies hasn't paid any advance tax yet (as against last year, when they paid Rs 2.5 crore). According to trade experts, paying more advance tax means one is working more and earning more. In Bollywood, where the bottomline is money, this is a direct translation of one's popularity as a star. Although Bollywood trade experts aren't ready to hand over the crown to Akshay, formally, yet, saying advance tax is but an aspect of stardom, they do agree that figures measure a star's success. There was a time when SRK was undisputed king, with no runner in sight. Today, with a lead of Rs 4 crore, Akshay has not only caught up, but evidently overtaken SRK. Akshay Kumar started the year with a mega-hit Singh is Kinng (which earned approximately Rs 90 crore). After the success of this film there were reports that Akshay had clinched the highest ever deal in Bollywood, for a film. His new film - Chandni Chowk to China is scheduled to be released this week. Another Akshay film that released in 2008 was Tashan. Akshay is currently working on Blue, Kambakkht, Eight by Ten, De Dhana Dhan and Housefull. Meanwhile, SRK's recent release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in December opened only at 60 per cent (according to Vikas Mohan, editor, Super Cinema), perhaps because it came on the heels of 26/11. Billu Barber from his own production house Red Chillies and My Name is Khan are his forthcoming films. Individually, Hrithik Roshan comes third, after Akshay and SRK, with an advance tax of Rs 8 crore. Aamir Khan has paid Rs 7 crore. (However, his company Aamir Khan Productions has paid another Rs 6 crore, so his net advance tax pay is Rs 13 crore.) So far this year, Aamir starred in only one film Ghajini and he is working on Three idiots. But his company produced another film - Jane to Ya Jaane Na. Another upcoming production of his company is Delhi Belly. Saif Ali Khan has paid an advance tax of Rs 2.5 crore so far this year while his girl friend Kareena Kapoor paid Rs 75 lakh. Last year, Saif paid Rs 4.5 crore while Kareena paid Rs 3 crore. So, both have slipped considerably. Saif had films like Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic and Tashan. He is also working on two films an Imtiaz Ali project for his own production house, and Renzil D'silva's film for Karan Johar. Shah Rukh Khan is second highest tax payer, followed by Aamir and Saif Among other professionals, architect Hafeez Contractor enjoys the number one slot with an advance tax payment of Rs 3.5 crore. (Although, last year, his total payment was Rs 9 crore.) He is followed by advocate Fali S Nariman who has paid Rs 2.5 crore and heart specialist S S Bhattacharya who has paid Rs 1.8 crore. |
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