SRK is India’s most valuable celebrity at $177.9 mn: Report

Cricket star Virat Kohli, who topped the rankings in 2024, dropped down two ranks to the number three spot with a valuation of $158.4 million. Sachin Tendulkar ($125 million) moved up from number five to the fourth rank, while MS Dhoni ($115.3 million) climbed to fifth rank supported by a notable rise in brand endorsements, his on-field performance notwithstanding. Alia Bhatt ($93.9 million) and Deepika Padukone ($89.2 million) are the only two female celebrities in the top ten, ranked at six and seven respectively. Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar are the other stars in the top 10.

Kroll observes that digital platforms are increasingly complementing traditional campaigns, enabling brands to extend audience reach, personalise messaging and improve campaign effectiveness. Digital endorsements, which accounted for roughly 40% to 60% of portfolios in earlier years, are increasing in share substantially. For several leading celebrities, digital endorsements contributed approximately 60%–75% of total brand associations by 2025.

SRK’s comeback, the report observes, has been beyond cinema. His rise from the 10^th rank in 2022 to the top spot is not the result of one isolated event; it is the culmination of a multi-year commercial resurgence. His brand associations increased from 28 in 2024 to 36 in 2025 and his endorsement fee of Rs 10 crore stayed resilient. Comparatively, Ranveer Singh headlined 2025’s biggest commercial success, Dhurandhar, but his endorsement roster shrunk from 45 in 2024 to 38 last year.

The other major gainers in 2025 have been Ananya Panday who rose to 19^th rank, Samantha Ruth Prabhu who entered the top 25 for the first time, Janhvi Kapoor (23) and Shraddha Kapoor (24). Both Panday and Kapoor posted a 25% rise in brand value over the previous year, making Gen Z Bollywood stars the biggest growth cohorts.

“The 2025 rankings reflect how celebrity brand value is being shaped by a combination of traditional endorsement strength, digital relevance, social media engagement and emerging AI-led opportunities,” says Umakanta Panigrahi, managing director, valuation advisory services at Kroll. “While established names continue to command significant brand equity, digital-first engagement and new monetisation models, including entrepreneurial ventures, are increasingly influencing the next wave of celebrity brands.”

Vinit Karnik, business head, GroupM ESP notes that India’s celebrity endorsement landscape continues to evolve, with legacy icons like Shah Rukh Khan, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli retaining strong brand equity, while emerging talent and digital-first personalities are rapidly gaining ground as brands prioritise relatability, cultural relevance and audience engagement. “We expect an acceleration in the trend of celebrities launching and scaling their own brands. Cricket stars will continue to dominate the endorsement space, supported by their unparalleled reach, engagement and recall among Indian audiences,” remarks Karnik.