Virat Kohli tops celebrity brand list with $231 mn valuation

Cricket star Virat Kohli has retained his crown as India’s most valuable celebrity brand for two consecutive years with a valuation of $231.1 million, according to Kroll’s Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2024. The study pegs the combined brand value of the top 25 Indian celebrities at $2 billion, up 8.6% from last year.

Actor Ranveer Singh followed in second place with $170.7 million, while Shah Rukh Khan stood firm at No. 3 with $145.7 million, marking a 21% growth from 2023. Alia Bhatt jumped to the fourth spot at $116.4 million, while cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar saw a sharp rise in endorsements to grab the fifth position with $112.2 million.

Movers and new entrants

The rankings witnessed strong upward movement for actors Kriti Sanon (No. 19, $44.8 mn), Tamannaah Bhatia (No. 21, $40.4 mn), and Ananya Panday, who entered the top 25 for the first time at No. 25 ($35.2 mn). Cricketer Jasprit Bumrah also made headlines with a meteoric rise to No. 22, clocking $38.1 mn in brand value.

Salman Khan has slipped to No. 16 with $57 mn from 10th place last year. Ayushmann Khurrana also dropped to 23rd place at $36.1 mn.

Read e4m report on celebs and ad value

Cinematic churn

The Kroll report also underlined shifting audience preferences at the box office. South Indian cinema captured 47.7% of the market in 2024, overtaking Hindi cinema which slipped to 39.5%. OTT platforms emerged as a dominant force, contributing more than half of revenues for major releases.

Interestingly, re-releases became a big draw. Jab We Met and Tumbbad outperformed their original runs, earning ~50% and ~70% of their lifetime collections during re-releases. Tollywood blockbuster Ghilli added 35% to its overall tally with its theatrical comeback, proving nostalgia is a winning formula.

Umakanta Panigrahi, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services, Kroll, said, “In 2024 we witnessed that the future of Indian cinema lies in synergy. OTT content and theatres complement each other. Re-releases have also put theatres back on the map, reaffirming that nothing can replace the feeling of watching a film on the big screen.”

The Celebrity Brand Valuation Report by Kroll evaluates the power of celebrity brands based on endorsement portfolios, social media influence, and industry reach. The 2024 edition highlights a hybrid future for cinema, the growing heft of South Indian talent, and the continued dominance of sports stars like Kohli and Tendulkar in India’s brand economy.