Salman, SRK named most profitable actors

Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been named the most profitable actors of the Hindi film industry in India and abroad respectively by ETC Bollywood Business Awards.

Actress Kareena Kapoor, who featured in "Bodyguard" and "RA.One" in 2011 opposite the two actors, has been titled the most profitable actor in the female category.

"Receiving an award wherein you are being adjudged considering the economic quotient as a cornerstone for mapping the success gives you a sense of pride. I've always maintained that commercial success is as important as the critical success of a movie. A commercially successful movie pays evidence to the fact that viewers loved watching your movie," Kareena said in a press statement.

Salman's "Bodyguard", the Hindi remake of the Malayalam film by the same name, was titled the top grosser of the year. The film's director Siddique, walked away with the most profitable director's trophy.

SRK's mega-budget dream project "RA.One" was recognised as the best marketed film of the year and also bagged an award under the highest single day collection category.

"Now I can safely say 'har mulk ki public mujhe dhoondti hai'. 'RA.One', Bollywood's most expensive movie, was my dream project. It feels great that my long cherished dream has been applauded and acknowledged," said Shah Rukh.

"Allah has been very kind to me and helped me to entertain my audiences and it is quite literally my audiences' love that has fetched me these awards. Inshallah! I'll continue to entertain my audiences and make it to this award in years to come," he added.

Other films like "Pyaar Ka Panchnaama", "The Dirty Picture", "Don 2:The King Is Back" and "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" bagged awards for being the most successful small budget Film, ETC Box Office surprise of the year, most popular first look of a film and most successful foreign film respectively.

The ETC Bollywood Business Awards will be aired Monday.