Yes, Priyanka Chopra pays income tax in India on her earnings from Bollywood, brand endorsements, and other business ventures, including her production company, Purple Pebble Pictures. While based in the US, she has historically been among the high-tax-paying individuals in India and has faced scrutiny regarding the valuation of perks like luxury gifts.
Amitabh Bachchan tops the list with ₹120 crore in taxes, followed by Shah Rukh Khan at ₹92 crore and Vijay Thalapathy at ₹80 crore. Salman Khan and Virat Kohli also contributed huge amounts, proving their influence goes beyond fame.
The Income Tax department on Monday conducted raids at the homes and offices of two of Bollywood's leading actresses – Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif. The searches began around 7.30 am. In raids that continued till late on Monday night, officials seized documents pertaining to financial transactions.
Maximum marginal rate is the highest rate of tax at any income level. This means for those with incomes between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore, 39% will be the highest applicable tax rate, and for those with incomes above Rs 5 crore, it will be 42.74% — the highest tax rate since 1992.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt paid Rs. 10 crore in taxes, securing her position among the highest tax-paying female stars.
Top 5 Tax Payers: 1️⃣ Amitabh Bachchan: ₹120 Cr. 2️⃣ Shah Rukh Khan: ₹92 Cr. 3️⃣ Vijay Thalapathy: ₹80 Cr.
According to government reports, while over 7 crore people file tax returns, only a fraction of them actually pay taxes because many fall below the taxable income threshold or use deductions to reduce liability.
Amitabh Bachchan tops the list by paying 120 crore in tax. Shah Rukh Khan, Thalapathy Vijay, Salman Khan, Virat Kohli and many others also pay huge amounts every year. These numbers come from public reports and estimates, but they clearly show how big the earnings of Indian superstars really are.
Examples of income that are not taxable in India include agricultural income, gifts and inheritances, interest on EPF and PPF, scholarships and awards, life insurance proceeds, leave encashment, gratuity, Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG), and interest on tax-free bonds.
Dhiraj Sahu I-T raid
The operation, which began on December 6, 2023, led to the staggering discovery of over ₹351 crore in cash and nearly 3 kg of gold ornaments. It is still considered as India's largest income tax raid.
For years, gossip suggested that Kareena and Priyanka had a major fallout during a concert in Antwerp, Belgium, while touring together. It was said things got so bad that it almost turned into a physical fight. Back in 2023, Kareena finally broke her silence in an interview with Mid-Day. And she did not hold back.
Kareena Kapoor Khan has become the highest tax paying female celebrity of India for the year 2024. As per a recent list, with Rs 20 crore, the actor is on the top of the list, followed by Kiara Advani in the second spot with Rs 12 crore tax. Katrina Kaif took the third spot in the list with Rs 11 crore tax paid.
1. Wesley Snipes – Ignoring Tax Obligations Doesn't Work. One of the most infamous celebrity tax cases involves actor Wesley Snipes, who was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion. Snipes failed to file tax returns for several years, owing millions to the IRS.
🚨 Top 10 richest actors in India in 2025.
While middle-income earners are paying more in taxes, corporate profits and personal wealth of the rich continue to benefit from relatively light taxation through lower rates, exemptions and incentives. Over the last decade, India's tax regime has tilted in favour of corporates and indirect taxes.
In India, the 30% income tax rate generally applies to individuals earning above ₹24 Lakhs (under the old regime/default for some) or ₹15 Lakhs (under the new optional regime for FY 2025-26) and to firms (as a flat rate), while certain income types like lottery winnings, online gaming, and virtual digital assets (like crypto) are taxed at a flat 30% for everyone, regardless of total income.
As per FY 2021 reports, Jeff Bezos was the highest individual taxpayer in the world by, paying over USD 2.4 billion in taxes. The latest reports are yet to be published officially. Yes.
Tax Rates and Deductions Comparison
In 2025, India's tax slabs range from 0% on income up to ₹4 lakh to 30% above ₹15 lakh under the new regime. The US has progressive tax brackets starting at 10% going up to 37%.
The countries like India whose population is much more along that the income gap between rich and poor is higher it is harder to abolish the taxes.
Yes, Indian income earned by a taxpayer who is a resident or citizen of the United States is generally taxable in the US. The United States has a worldwide income tax system, which means that US residents and citizens are required to report and pay taxes on their global income, including income earned in India.
In her 2025 Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shared big news. Under the new regime, if you earn up to Rs 12 lakh, you will not have to pay any income tax. Salaried taxpayers get an extra benefit too. The standard deduction, which was Rs 50,000 before, has now gone up to Rs 75,000 for the new regime.
Reliance on Indirect Taxes: Due to the narrow direct tax base, the government heavily relies on indirect taxes, including GST, Road Tax, Fuel Cess, Entertainment Tax, Toll Tax, Krishi Kalyan Cess, Swachh Bharat Cess, Education Cess, and what not. These taxes are regressive and impact all consumers, regardless of income.
Who was the Highest Individual Taxpayer in India in 2021? In FY22, the highest individual taxpayers were led by Mukesh Ambani, who paid Rs. 2,300 crore in taxes, followed by Ratan Tata with Rs. 2,000 crore.