Content Cabinet
The short answer
Video production in India costs from about ₹20,000 for a simple testimonial to ₹2 crore or more for a national TV commercial with a celebrity. Corporate video runs about ₹20,000 to ₹1,50,000 per finished minute (Filmgoi). Most serious brand films cost ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh (Balladi Studios). Digital ad films run ₹50,000 to ₹20 lakh, and premium TV commercials ₹20 lakh to ₹75 lakh (Cybertize Media). Animated explainers cost about ₹40,000 to ₹1,20,000 for 60 seconds of 2D.
Cost by type of video
| Type | Typical range in India | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Testimonial or interview video | ₹20,000 to ₹60,000 | Filmgoi |
| One-day shoot with a minimal crew | ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 | Filmgoi |
| Corporate video, basic, per minute | ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 | Filmgoi |
| Corporate video, mid-range, per minute | ₹60,000 to ₹1,50,000 | Filmgoi |
| High-end industrial or brand film | ₹2,00,000 to ₹10,00,000+ | Filmgoi |
| Brand film, where most serious brands spend | ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh | Balladi Studios |
| Digital or social ad film, entry level | ₹50,000 to ₹3 lakh | Cybertize Media |
| Digital or OTT ad film, mid-range | ₹3 lakh to ₹20 lakh | Cybertize Media |
| Premium TV commercial or brand film | ₹20 lakh to ₹75 lakh | Cybertize Media |
| National TV commercial with a celebrity | ₹75 lakh to ₹2 crore+ | Cybertize Media |
| 60-second 2D animated explainer | ₹40,000 to ₹1,20,000 | MotionCube |
| 3D animation, per minute | ₹40,000 to ₹4,00,000+ | Cybertize Media |
What moves a quote
- Talent. A known face from Instagram can cost ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh a day, and a B-list Bollywood actor ₹25 lakh to ₹80 lakh, per Cybertize Media, which says this one decision can double or triple a budget.
- Shoot days. Each extra day brings crew, equipment and location costs. The same guide puts the gap between a one-day and a three-day shoot at ₹4 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
- The director. Cybertize lists a director's fee at ₹30,000 to ₹3,00,000 in the Delhi NCR market, depending on experience.
- Script and storyboard. ₹15,000 to ₹60,000 for script and concept and ₹8,000 to ₹25,000 for a storyboard, per the same line-item list. They are small lines on the sheet and decide most of the result.
- Post-production. Grade, sound mix, motion graphics and VFX. A basic edit is cheap; VFX is not.
- Voiceover and music. Professional voiceover and licensed music usually add ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 on smaller projects, per Filmgoi.
- Versions. Vertical cuts, short cuts and other languages are separate deliverables.
- GST. Production services attract 18% GST, so a ₹10 lakh quote becomes ₹11.8 lakh.
Media is a separate budget
Everything above is the cost of making the film. If it is going on television, airtime is extra: Cybertize Media puts a 10-second prime-time spot on a national channel such as Star Plus or Sony at ₹1.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh. Online, a film with no distribution plan is the most expensive kind, because nobody sees it.
Where the money should go
From our own projects: spend first on the script and the first ten seconds, then on sound. Viewers forgive a modest set. They leave when the opening is confusing or the audio is bad. Cut locations before you cut the writing.
How to get comparable quotes
- Write a one-page brief: goal, audience, length, where it will run, deadline.
- Ask every studio for an itemised quote: pre-production, shoot days, post, music, versions, GST.
- Ask what is excluded. Travel, talent and licensed music are the usual gaps.
- Compare the scripts or treatments, not just the totals.
Questions people ask
How much does a corporate video cost in India?
About ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 per finished minute for basic work, ₹60,000 to ₹1,50,000 for mid-range, and ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh or more for high-end industrial or brand films, per Filmgoi's guide.
How much does a brand film cost in India?
Most serious brand films cost ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh. Balladi Studios' 2026 guide puts basic digital films from about ₹75,000 and national TV films with celebrities at ₹2 crore or more.
How much does an ad film cost in India?
Per Cybertize Media: ₹50,000 to ₹3 lakh for entry-level digital ads, ₹3 lakh to ₹20 lakh for mid-range digital or OTT, ₹20 lakh to ₹75 lakh for premium TV commercials, and ₹75 lakh to ₹2 crore or more with a celebrity.
Is GST charged on video production?
Yes, 18% on production services. Check whether each quote includes it.
What is the cheapest way to make a good video?
Spend on the script and the sound, keep to one location, and plan the vertical and short versions from the start so nothing has to be reshot.
