Akshay, Salman among 100 top-paid
Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan are among the world's 100 highest-paid entertainers, according to a Forbes list topped by American boxer Floyd Mayweather.
Akshay is ranked 76th on the Forbes list of the World's Highest Paid Celebrities 2018, while Salman is on the 82nd spot.
Forbes said the world's 100 top-earning entertainers pulled in a combined $6.3 billion pretax over the past 12 months, up 22 per cent from last year and 11 superstars crossed the $100 million threshold, more than double the number from the last two years combined.
Akshay, 50, had earnings of $40.5 million. “One of Bollywood's leading men has transitioned to socially-conscious roles,” Forbes said, citing his films such as Toilet: Ek Prem Katha that focused on government campaigns to improve sanitation, and Padman, about a man hoping to provide inexpensive sanitary pads to rural communities. He also mints millions from profits and endorsing about 20 brands.
Salman, 52, had earnings of $37.7 million. Forbes said he remains one of India's top earners and the "Bollywood mainstay" continues to produce and star in hits such as Tiger Zinda Hai, cashing in on backend profits.
The list has been topped by Mayweather with earnings of $285 million. Among the other highest-paid entertainers are actor George Clooney (second), reality TV star and businessperson Kylie Jenner (third), soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo (10), pop star Katy Perry (19), tennis icon Roger Federer (23), singer Beyonce (35), author J K Rowling (42) and golfer Tiger Woods (66).