There was a time when Vijay Deverakonda was clueless and unemployed. It was not so long ago - it was in 2015. Cut to 2019, he has been featured in Forbes India's Under 30 list of achievers.

"I was 25. The Andhra Bank locked my bank account because I couldn't maintain the minimum balance of Rs 500. Dad said settle before 30 - That way you can enjoy your success when you are young and parents are healthy. 4 years later - Forbes Celebrity 100, Forbes 30 under 30," a proud Deverakonda writes, reacting to the Forbes India report.

For perspective, from someone struggling to land a decent role in a film, Deverakonda has become one of the highest-paid actors in south India in just four years. The buzz in the industry is that he charges something like Rs 8-10 Cr per film. Even a disaster featuring him can collect a minimum of Rs 10 Cr (share).