In its eighth Celebrity Brand Valuation Study, titled “Brands, Business, Bollywood,” Kroll, a global risk and financial advisory firm, named Virat Kohli the top celebrity, with a brand value of $227.9 million.
The survey evaluates India’s top celebrity brands according to their endorsements and social media impact. In 2023, the top 25 Indian celebrities’ brand worth was $1.9 billion, up 18% from the previous year.
The key results of the study include:
Virat Kohli reclaimed the top spot with a brand value of $227.9 million, edging Ranveer Singh into second place at $203.1 million.
Virat Kohli, regarded as one of the game’s top players, bounced back and silenced his doubters in 2023 after a few subpar years by his standards. Kohli began replicating what he did best during his prime: scoring big and consolidating his starts into triple-digit scores. Kohli made his 27th Test century against Bangladesh in November 2019, scoring 136.
His subsequent century came over three years and four months later, in a Test against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in March 2023. He scored an impressive 186. Another reason for the same is his brilliant outing for Team India in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Coming back to the list, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner and global superstar Shah Rukh Khan ranks third with a brand worth of $120.7 million following three blockbuster successes in 2023, marking his amazing comeback to India’s top five celebrity endorsers since 2020.
This year, Akshay Kumar fell to fourth place with a brand value of $111.7 million, while Alia Bhatt moved up to fifth with a brand worth of $101.1 million.
Other significant shifts include Kiara Advani’s stratospheric surge in brand value, which saw her jump from rank 16 to number 12, and Katrina Kaif’s comeback to the list of India’s most valuable celebrity brands after five years.
Aviral Jain, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services at Kroll said, “Our report recognizes the expansion of celebrity-owned startups across various industries and the spectacular rise of Indian celebrities as global ambassadors of reputed global brands. The year 2023 also witnessed Bollywood’s powerful comeback to the film industry, with blockbusters breaking records to cross the $100 million mark—re-establishing Bollywood’s dominance in the film industry. The synergy between celebrity entrepreneurship, global star advocacy and the resurgence of Bollywood is set to redefine the dynamics of the entertainment and business industries.”