For years, AR Rahman has been India’s most celebrated and financially successful music composer. His albums have consistently been chartbusters, enabling him to command fees in crores for each film. However, in 2023, a young composer overtook him as the country’s highest-paid musician. Achieving this milestone at just 33, he became the first Indian composer to charge a nine-figure amount for a single project.
India’s Highest-Paid Musician
Anirudh Ravichander, the celebrated composer behind Tamil films like Jailer, Petta, Master, and Vikram, has emerged as the highest-paid music composer in India. His popularity has also made him the most expensive musician in the country. In 2023, he made his Bollywood debut by composing music for Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan. According to News 18, he charged ₹10 crore for the film, surpassing AR Rahman’s usual fee of ₹7-8 crore per film. While he lowered his remuneration for subsequent projects, he still retained his position as the highest-paid composer. Times of India reported that Anirudh charged ₹8 crore each for Leo and Jailer, keeping him ahead of all his contemporaries.
How Anirudh Surpassed Industry Veterans
Anirudh has played a crucial role in introducing a fresh musical style to Tamil cinema. He is known for his experimental approach, particularly his use of techno beats and his ability to integrate actors’ real-life personas into background scores. This distinctive style has made him the preferred composer for some of India’s biggest stars, including Rajinikanth (Petta, Jailer), Kamal Haasan (Vikram), Vijay (Master, Leo), and Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan).
Anirudh has also become a key figure in major film ‘camps,’ frequently working with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Rajinikanth, and Vijay. His ability to create anthems for these actors, such as Hukum from Jailer, has further solidified his reputation. The immense success of his compositions has allowed him to significantly increase his fees, ultimately leading him to charge ₹10 crore per film at just 33 years old.
Among other top Indian composers, Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar, MM Keeravani, and Yuvan Shankar Raja all charge below ₹5 crore per film. Singers earn even less, typically receiving ₹15-20 lakh per song, with very few ever earning a crore for an entire film. However, private albums offer higher earnings, with artists like Diljit Dosanjh routinely making over a crore per project.