Shah Rukh Khan becomes India's most powerful celebrity in 2025
What's the story
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has emerged as India's most powerful celebrity in 2025, according to Kroll India. The actor's brand value has been pegged at a whopping $177.9 million, an increase of 22% from the previous year. This marks a significant jump for Khan, who was ranked third in 2024.
Second and 3rd positions
Ranveer Singh retains 2nd spot, Virat Kohli slips to 3rd
Ranveer Singh has retained the second position with a brand value of $162.9 million.
Cricketer Virat Kohli, who lost the top spot, has slipped to third place with a brand value of $158.4 million.
The rankings are based on brand values derived from celebrity endorsement portfolios and relative social media presence.
Brand value drop
Brand value of top 25 celebrities estimated at $2 billion
The overall brand value of India's top 25 celebrities is estimated at $2 billion in 2025, a 3.7% drop from the previous year.
Kroll attributed this decline to the emergence of newer female celebrities such as Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Janhvi Kapoor, and Shraddha Kapoor at lower valuation bands.
The depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar also contributed to this decrease.
Digital impact
Digital platforms increasingly complementing traditional campaigns
Kroll's report also highlighted how digital platforms are increasingly complementing traditional campaigns.
These platforms allow brands to extend their audience reach, personalize messaging, and improve campaign effectiveness.
Earlier, digital endorsements accounted for 40-60% of endorsement portfolios but now constitute 60-75% for many leading celebrities.
Endorsement growth
Khan's brand value surge attributed to endorsement portfolio expansion
Kroll's report stated that Khan's brand value surge is largely due to the expansion of his endorsement portfolio.
His normalized brand associations increased from 28 in 2024 to 36 in 2025, while his endorsement fee remained steady at around ₹10 crore.
This led to a significant increase in his brand value from $145.7 million to $177.9 million, propelling him from third to first place.
Singh's decline
Singh's decline in brand value due to client roster changes
Singh, despite the commercial success of Dhurandhar, saw a decline in his brand value due to changes in his client roster.
His estimated endorsement fee increased from around ₹7.5 crore to ₹8 crore, but this was not enough to offset the shrinking number of clients, which declined from 45 in 2024 to 38 in 2025.