| You've heard about film stars' whopping fees, now with the boundaries between the big and small screen blurring and stars crossing over, there is a sharp rise in the salaries of TV stars too. 2004 was particularly important as we saw salaries go up to a crore — Sony's Jassi, for instance.
Upala KBR finds out who the highest paid stars on TV are: Hema Malini
Once a star, always a diva. She charges Rs 1 lakh per day. Currently stars as the lead in Sahara's daily soap Kamini/Damini — just like Seeta Aur Geeta, which shot her to fame. Shekhar Suman
TV's Mr Motormouth charges anything between Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh a day, depending on the show (remuneration for talk shows is usually higher than serials).
Helms Poll Khol, a bi-weekly political satire on Star News and Carry on Shekhar on Sab TV four days a week. Also anchors Star One's himbo-hunt, He-Man, once a week. Mohnish Behl
The Devi villain is now seen more on TV than in the movies; charges Rs 75,000 for a day's work. At present he is shooting for Kaalchakra on Star Plus in addition to Devi.
Aman Varma
The Dilip Kumar clone, and unlikely heartthrob on Indian Idol charges anything between Rs 50000 to 75000 per day. In addition to anchoring Indian Idol, stars as the manic Vasu in Sony's Devi. Kirron Kher
The actress has upped her price after Devdas and Khamosh Paani and now charges 40 to 50 thousand per day. At pesent stars in Sahara's daily soap Prratima.
Madhoo
The Roja girl asks for and gets Rs 40 to 50 thousand per day; she stars in Sony's once-a-week serial Devi.
Smriti Irani
She works almost round the week, sometimes as the bahu and at others as the saas, charges Rs 40,000 a day.
Also shoots for another Star serial Kyun Ki and helms Kuchh Diil Se on Sab TV. The only time she doesn't charge but pays a price on TV is when she is making and then retracting political statements.
Amarr Upadhyay
After playing Mihir in Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and then walking out of it he might not as popular as he used to be but this hasn't stopped the chocolate-box hero from charging a big amount as Rs 30 to 35 thousand per day for his Sahara daily soap Saathiyan. Anuj Saxena
He might come from a wealthy business of pharmaceuticals but acting is his passion. Kkusum's Abhay charges as much as up to 25 to 30 thousand per day. Also stars in Prratima. Nikki Aneja Walia
Her rate: Rs 25 to 30 thousand per day. This may be her only soap but she has definitely towers over the rest of the cast as the gynaecologist Dr Simran in Zee TV's daily soap, Astitva who falls in love with and gets married to a younger man. The unusual storyline had the readers gasping for more. Nausheen Ali Sardar
The pretty and popular actress left Kkusum to walk into Star Plus's Kaalchakra where she plays a triple role. She charges 25 to 30 thousand per day. Nausheen will soon be seen also in a film — Shadaab Khan's directorial debut. Hussain
This good-looking dude Stars stars as the anchor in Star Plus's game show Khulja Sim Sim in plays the male lead in Kum Kum. His fees are 25 to 30 thousand per day. Hussain replaced Aman Varma in Khulja Sim Sim.
| 
Hindi TV Shows
Current Affairs
