Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan in world's highest paid actors list

Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan have made it to Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid actors for 2018, with Akshay ranking seventh and Salman eighth. Hollywood star George Clooney topped the list after recording a massive jump in earnings largely linked to the sale of his Casamigos tequila brand.

Akshay earned an estimated $40.5 million between June 1, 2017 and June 1, 2018, according to Forbes. The actor's income came not only from his films but also from profit-sharing arrangements and endorsements for around 20 brands, including Tata and Eveready.

Known in recent years for choosing films that address social issues, Akshay appeared in movies such as "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" and "Pad Man" during the period covered by the ranking.

Salman Khan followed closely with estimated earnings of $38.5 million. His income was boosted by the success of films including "Tiger Zinda Hai", along with backend profits and endorsements ranging from Suzuki motorcycles to Chlormint gum.

Clooney was in a league of his own at the top of the ranking, earning an estimated $239 million. A substantial portion of that amount came from the reported sale of Casamigos Tequila, the spirits company he co-founded, in a deal valued at up to $1 billion.

Forbes' ranking takes into account both earnings from acting and income generated through activities outside films during the 12-month period. The estimates were compiled using data from Nielsen, ComScore, Box Office Mojo and IMDb, along with interviews with industry sources. The figures are before taxes and do not deduct fees paid to agents, managers or lawyers.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson ranked second with $124 million, while Robert Downey Jr. took third place with $81 million.

Chris Hemsworth, another star of "Avengers: Infinity War", earned $64.5 million to claim fourth place. Forbes said it was a career-best figure for Hemsworth, helped by his earnings from Marvel films including "Thor: Ragnarok".

Chinese superstar Jackie Chan was fifth with $45.5 million, followed by Will Smith at $42 million.

Adam Sandler ranked eighth with $39.5 million, while Chris Evans completed the top 10 with earnings of $34 million.

Together, the 10 highest-paid male actors earned a combined $748.5 million during the period, before taxes and professional fees.

The figures also highlighted the continuing disparity between male and female stars in Hollywood and the global film industry. The world's highest-paid actresses collectively earned about $186 million during the same period, roughly one-quarter of the amount earned by the top 10 male actors.