Hiphop Tamizha, known to Telugu audiences for his music in the film Dhruva, recently stated that Anirudh Ravichander is currently the number one music director in India. According to him, the title rightfully belongs to Anirudh.
Now, the composer is back in the news for another reason. Tamil media circles are abuzz with reports that Anirudh has demanded a whopping Rs 25 crore to compose music for the upcoming film starring Allu Arjun and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj.
Reports suggest that Anirudh quoted such a massive fee to deliver international-style songs and background score for the film. However, the production house is said to have negotiated the amount down to around Rs 21 crore.
Even at Rs 21 crore, it would be the highest remuneration ever paid to a music director in Indian cinema. Until now, Anirudh has reportedly been charging between Rs 12 crore and Rs 15 crore, with Rs 12 crore being his average fee depending on the scale of the project.
If the deal materialises, his remuneration for the Allu Arjun–Lokesh Kanagaraj film will be almost double his usual pay.
That said, the production house has not officially confirmed these figures yet.
One reason producers are comfortable paying such a high fee is Anirudh’s strong brand value, which often helps recover a significant portion of the investment through audio rights deals with music companies. His name alone creates huge demand for the film’s soundtrack.