India has undoubtedly numerous filmmakers, and their wealth reflects their lifestyle and stature. However, when it comes to the richest filmmaker of India, some of the most prominent names like Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali are nowhere close.
In fact, his net worth surpasses to that of Bollywood legends like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
We are talking about the 80th richest man in India, who doesn’t belong to Bollywood but the Tamil Industry. His name is Kalanithi Maran, who was once called ‘India’s Bill Gates.’ As per Forbes, he is India’s richest filmmaker, with net worth $3.6 billion ( Rs 30,289 crore).
India’s Richest Filmmaker is Kalanithi Maran
Kalanithi owns a media empire, Sun Group, that runs 37 TV channels, and Sun Pictures, a film production company. He has produced some of the greatest hits of all time, including, Enthiran, Petta, Beast, Jailer, and Raayan, Jailer and Sarkar. Moreover, he has given Rajinikanth and Dhanush, the biggest hits of their career. In fact, his net worth surpasses to that of India’s second-richest filmmaker, Ronnie Screwvala, who is worth $1.55 billion.
Also, his net worth is more than several Bollywood biggies, including Aditya Chopra ($890 million), Bhushan Kumar ($950 million), Shah Rukh Khan ($870 million) and Karan Johar ($200 million).
Who is Kalanithi Maran?
Kalanithi Maran’s father Murosali Maran, was a former Union Minster and businessman. He inherited a small business from his father and began his journey at the age of 26. In 1993, he established Sun TV, which has now evolved into a massive network.
Moreover, he also ventured into other industries and diversified his portfolio. He is the owner of two cricket teams- Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa T20 League. From 2010-15, he owned a major state in Spice Jet. Also, his brother Dayanidhi Maran, was a Union Minster and now currently serves as a MP.