Mumbai: Fortune India, in collaboration with global brand consultancy Interbrand, has unveiled the first-ever Fortune India–Interbrand ranking of India’s Most Valuable Celebrities, introducing a new framework to evaluate celebrity influence through brand value and long-term economic impact.
The inaugural ranking places cricket icon Virat Kohli at the top with an estimated brand value of ₹3,542 crore, followed by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan at ₹3,017 crore and global actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas at ₹2,507 crore.
Unlike traditional celebrity rankings that are largely driven by endorsement income, earnings, or entertainment performance, the Fortune India–Interbrand study approaches celebrity influence through the lens of brand valuation. The methodology evaluates celebrities as managed economic assets and combines financial outcomes with brand strength indicators including distinctiveness, coherence, engagement, trust, affinity, and responsibility.
The findings reinforce cricket’s continued cultural and commercial influence in India, with M.S. Dhoni securing the fourth position and Sachin Tendulkar ranking eighth on the list.
Cinema emerged as the dominant contributor to the rankings, with several leading actors featuring among the Top 10, including Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, and Allu Arjun.
The broader Top 25 list reflects increasing diversity across entertainment and sports, featuring prominent women celebrities including Deepika Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna, Kriti Sanon, Smriti Mandhana, and Nayanthara. The rankings also include influential names from music and entertainment such as Diljit Dosanjh, Arijit Singh, Karan Johar, Rohit Sharma, Sourav Ganguly, and Vicky Kaushal.
The report highlights how celebrity value in India is evolving beyond visibility and popularity to include trust, cultural relevance, consistency, and the ability to sustain long-term audience connection and commercial impact.
According to Fortune India and Interbrand, the ranking is designed to offer a more structured understanding of celebrity influence in an increasingly creator-driven and brand-conscious economy, where personal brands play an expanding role across entertainment, endorsements, business partnerships, and consumer engagement.
The complete Fortune India–Interbrand ranking of India’s Most Valuable Celebrities is featured in the June 2026 edition of Fortune India, available with four special covers.
