Shah Rukh Khan has emerged as India's most valuable celebrity brand in Kroll India's Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2025, displacing last year's leader to claim the top position with an estimated brand value of USD 177.9 million.
Ranveer Singh retained the second spot with a brand value of USD 162.9 million, while Virat Kohli slipped to third at USD 158.4 million. Together, the three continued to dominate India's celebrity endorsement landscape, although the report pointed to evolving factors influencing brand value beyond traditional endorsements.
According to the study, the cumulative brand value of India's top 25 celebrities stood at USD 2 billion in 2025, marking a 3.7% decline from the previous year.
Sachin Tendulkar climbed to fourth place with a brand value of USD 125.9 million, followed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni in fifth at USD 115.3 million, driven by an increase in endorsement partnerships. Alia Bhatt secured the sixth position, while Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar featured among the top 10. Ranbir Kapoor shared the tenth position.
The rankings also reflected the growing prominence of younger celebrities. Ananya Panday advanced to 19th place, Samantha Ruth Prabhu moved up to 21st, Janhvi Kapoor ranked 23rd and Shraddha Kapoor secured the 24th position.
The report highlighted a significant shift in endorsement strategies, with digital platforms accounting for a larger share of celebrity partnerships. For many leading celebrities, digital collaborations made up 60–75% of their endorsement portfolios in 2025, compared with 40–60% in previous years.
Umakanta Panigrahi, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services at Kroll, said celebrity brand value is increasingly being shaped by a combination of endorsement strength, digital relevance, social media engagement and AI-enabled opportunities, making valuation methodologies more sophisticated.
Echoing the trend, Vinit Karnik, Business Head at GroupM ESP, said established celebrities continue to command strong brand equity, while emerging talent and digital-first personalities are gaining momentum as marketers prioritise authenticity, cultural relevance and audience engagement. He added that cricketers are expected to remain among the most sought-after endorsers owing to their wide reach and enduring recall.
