Salman Khan signs TV rights deal with Star India

Bollywood actor Salman Khan (R) reacts on the green carpet for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Colombo June 5, 2010.

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Actor Salman Khan has signed a deal with Star India network for the television broadcast rights of his upcoming Bollywood films.

The 47-year-old actor has had a dream run at the box office with each of his last five films making more than a billion rupees in revenue.

"Why not Salman? His last few films have made enough money to equal the GDP of a small nation. He is massive," Hemal Jhaveri, general manager at Star Gold, told Reuters on the phone.

An Economic Times report on Saturday said Khan's deal with Star India was estimated to be in the range of 4.5-5 billion rupees for a period of five years. Star India confirmed the deal but did not give details.

The television network would own exclusive TV broadcast rights to Khan's new films, including Sajid Nadiadwala's "Kick", the sequel to Anees Bazmee's "No Entry" and Sooraj Barjatya's next.

"Dabangg", Khan's 2010 blockbuster clocked record TRPs when it aired on the network, Jhaveri said.

Television rights form a key part of revenues for Bollywood films and big-ticket projects with leading actors are in demand. Khan's popularity has been on the rise since the success of "Wanted" in 2009.

His films, which typically release on the Muslim festival of Eid, are runaway hits because of their slapstick humour and Khan's portrayal of a traditional, upright Bollywood hero.

(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Tony Tharakan)