Ileana has become as the highest paid actress in South India. No other South Indian actress has been paid Rs 1.5 Crores for a Telugu or Tamil film. Although Aishwarya Rai took Rs 6 Crores for Robot , she is not considered as South Indian actress but Bollywood heroine. So Ileana’s rate of Rs 1.5 Crores for the remake of 3 Idiots is the highest amount ever paid to a South Indian actress.

Director Shankar who is impressed with the work of Ileana wanted her to be the heroine for both the versions of 3 Idiots - in Telugu and Tamil. So she demanded Rs 1.5 Crores for both the versions together. So the producers obliged.

This puts her in No.1 slot in South India - in Telugu and Tamil. Ileana is now reigning queen of Telugu and Tamil films.Source:Telugucinema