Table of Contents
“The biggest mistake brands make is treating ad film budgets like printing costs – fixed and predictable. They’re not. They’re a sum of creative decisions.”
Ad Film Cost: Two Separate Budgets. Most Brands Only Plan One.
Every ad film campaign has two distinct financial commitments: Production Cost (making the film) and Airtime / Media Cost (running the film). These are entirely independent – and confusing one for the other is how brands waste crores.
| Production Budget | Digital Airtime | National TV Prime | IPL 2026 TV Rate |
| ₹75K–₹5Cr | ₹1L–₹20L | ₹1.5L–₹4L | ₹18L |
| Script to delivery | Social / OTT / YouTube | Per 10-second slot | Per 10 sec (SD+HD) |
Also Read: AI Tool Breakdown Series, Every Tool That’s Changing Video & Film Production Right Now
Part 1 – Production Cost
The Three-Tier Production Reality
Tier 1: Digital-First Ad Films – ₹75,000 to ₹20 Lakh
| Cost Head | Range |
|---|---|
| Script & concept development | ₹15,000 – ₹1.5L |
| Shoot (1–2 days, DSLR to RED) | ₹50,000 – ₹3L |
| Full crew (director, DOP, sound, art) | ₹30,000 – ₹2L |
| Cast (models, non-celebrity) | ₹20,000 – ₹5L |
| Post-production (edit, grade, sound) | ₹25,000 – ₹3L |
| Music licensing or original composition | ₹10,000 – ₹1L |
Tier 2: Professional TVC / Hybrid Campaigns – ₹20 Lakh to ₹1 Crore
| Cost Head | Range |
|---|---|
| Script, concept & storyboard | ₹1L – ₹5L |
| Director’s fee | ₹3L – ₹15L |
| DOP and cinema camera package | ₹2L – ₹8L |
| Shoot crew (2–3 days) | ₹3L – ₹10L |
| Locations + permissions | ₹1L – ₹6L |
| Cast and talent | ₹2L – ₹20L |
| Production design & props | ₹1L – ₹5L |
| Post-production (full suite) | ₹3L – ₹15L |
| Music | ₹1L – ₹5L |
| Production house fee | ₹2L – ₹10L |
Tier 3: Premium National TVC – ₹1 Crore to ₹5 Crore+
| Cost Head | Range |
|---|---|
| Creative (script to storyboard) | ₹5L – ₹20L |
| Top director (A-list) | ₹20L – ₹1Cr+ |
| Cinematography (cinema package) | ₹10L – ₹40L |
| Celebrity talent | ₹50L – ₹15Cr+ |
| Multi-city shoot (3–7 days) | ₹15L – ₹60L |
| VFX / CGI | ₹10L – ₹1.5Cr |
| Production design | ₹5L – ₹30L |
| Post-production (DI, sound) | ₹10L – ₹50L |
| Music (original + orchestra) | ₹5L – ₹30L |
Part 2 – Talent Cost
Celebrity Fees: The Line Item That Changes Everything
Endorsement fees are per brand, per year. Shoot fees are separate. These 2025–26 figures represent industry estimates:
| Celebrity / Tier | Est. Endorsement Fee | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Shah Rukh Khan | ₹5 – 7 Cr/year | Highest reach, FMCG, luxury |
| Amitabh Bachchan | ₹10 – 15 Cr/year | Trust, heritage brands |
| Deepika Padukone / Alia Bhatt | ₹5 – 6 Cr/year | Fashion, beauty, lifestyle |
| Allu Arjun / Ram Charan / Jr. NTR | ₹3.5 – 7 Cr/campaign | Pan-India post Pushpa 2/RRR |
| Emerging Bollywood (mid-tier) | ₹50L – 2 Cr/campaign | Relatability + growing fanbase |
| Regional stars | ₹5L – ₹50L | State-level reach, cost-efficient |
Part 3 – Airtime Cost
Ad Film Cost in India 2026-27: TV Channel Advertising Rates in India
| Channel Category | Channels | Slot Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Hindi GEC | Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors, Sony | Prime Time (7–11 PM) | ₹1.5L–₹4L |
| Super Prime / Specials | ₹8L–₹10L | ||
| Off-Peak Slots | ₹20K–₹80K | ||
| National News Channels | Aaj Tak, NDTV, Republic, India TV | Prime Time News | ₹50K–₹2L |
| Breaking News Slots | ₹1.5L–₹4L | ||
| Off-Peak | ₹10K–₹40K | ||
| Regional Language Channels | Zee Bangla, Colors Marathi, Star Vijay | Prime Time Regional | ₹25K–₹1L |
| Off-Peak Regional | ₹5K–₹20K |
All rates per 10-second slot. Rate cards are starting points – actual buys happen at 20–40% below card on volume deals.
Part 4 – IPL Advertising
IPL 2025: The Most Expensive TV Inventory in India
Ad Film Cost: After the Star India + Viacom18 merger into JioStar, all IPL rights – TV and digital – sit under one roof. IPL 2025 rates rose 10-15% from the previous season. JioStar projected a reach of 1 billion viewers for IPL 2025.
| Platform | Ad Format | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| TV (SD) | 10-second spot | ₹15 lakh per 10 sec |
| TV (HD) | 10-second spot | ₹6 lakh per 10 sec |
| TV (SD + HD Combined) | Floating inventory | ₹18 lakh per 10 sec |
| Connected TV (CTV) | 10-second spot | ₹7.5–₹8.5 lakh per 10 sec |
| IPL Final – CTV | Standalone 10-second spot | ₹50 lakh per 10 sec |
| Mobile Streaming | Pre-roll / Mid-roll | ₹250–₹480 CPM |
| Connected TV (CTV) | CPM-based inventory | ₹650 CPM |
Combined Comparison Table
| Media Type | Platform/Channel | Slot/Format | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV Entertainment | Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors, Sony | Prime Time (7–11 PM) | ₹1.5L–₹4L |
| TV Entertainment | Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors, Sony | Super Prime / Specials | ₹8L–₹10L |
| TV Entertainment | Star Plus, Zee TV, Colors, Sony | Off-Peak | ₹20K–₹80K |
| News TV | Aaj Tak, NDTV, Republic, India TV | Prime Time News | ₹50K–₹2L |
| News TV | Aaj Tak, NDTV, Republic, India TV | Breaking News | ₹1.5L–₹4L |
| News TV | Aaj Tak, NDTV, Republic, India TV | Off-Peak | ₹10K–₹40K |
| Regional TV | Zee Bangla, Colors Marathi, Star Vijay | Prime Time Regional | ₹25K–₹1L |
| Regional TV | Zee Bangla, Colors Marathi, Star Vijay | Off-Peak Regional | ₹5K–₹20K |
| IPL 2025 | TV SD | 10-sec Spot | ₹15L |
| IPL 2025 | TV HD | 10-sec Spot | ₹6L |
| IPL 2025 | TV SD + HD | Floating Inventory | ₹18L |
| IPL 2025 | Connected TV | 10-sec Spot | ₹7.5L–₹8.5L |
| IPL Final | Connected TV | 10-sec Spot | ₹50L |
| IPL Digital | Mobile | CPM | ₹250–₹480 CPM |
| IPL Digital | Connected TV | CPM | ₹650 CPM |
This combined table makes it immediately obvious how IPL inventory commands a significant premium over regular TV entertainment, news, and regional channel advertising.
“A 30-second ad across 15 IPL matches on TV SD alone costs ₹6.75 crore in airtime. Add ₹75 lakh in production, and you’re at ₹7.5 crore before playoffs even begin.”
Also Read: Free 30-Second Ad Film Script Template for D2C Brands
Part 5 – What They Don’t Tell You
Hidden Costs That Will Surprise You
GST at 18% – on all production services. On a ₹50L production, that’s ₹9 lakh you didn’t budget for.
Music Licensing – even 5 seconds of a popular song requires synchronisation rights. International tracks can cost lakhs.
Location Permits – public spaces, heritage sites, government properties all require formal permissions. Delhi iconic locations involve multiple agencies.
Reshoots – the most expensive hidden cost. A single reshoot on a ₹30L production can add ₹10–15L. Lock your script before shoot day.
Format Versioning – 30-sec TVC → 15-sec Instagram cut → 6-sec YouTube bumper → vertical Reels version → 10-sec OTT pre-roll. Each costs production time.
Full Picture
What You Actually Need to Budget – Total Campaign View
| Campaign Type | Production | Airtime | Total Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital-only brand film | ₹3 – 15L | ₹1 – 20L | ₹4 – 35L |
| Regional TV campaign | ₹15 – 40L | ₹20 – 80L | ₹35L – 1.2Cr |
| National TVC (no celebrity) | ₹25 – 75L | ₹1 – 5Cr | ₹1.25 – 5.75Cr |
| National TVC (with celebrity) | ₹75L – 3Cr | ₹3 – 15Cr | ₹3.75 – 18Cr |
| IPL campaign (brand visibility) | ₹50L – 2Cr | ₹5 – 25Cr | ₹5.5 – 27Cr |
Disclaimer: The Rates and charges provided in this entire article are just estimation rates and advertisement charges may vary,
Cybertize will not be eligible for any change of rates. Users are advised to do rates research with the official company.
