Virat Kohli tops first-ever Fortune India-Interbrand ranking of India’s Most Valuable Celebrities

Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli has emerged as the numero uno in the first-ever ranking of India's Most Valuable Celebrities, the maiden study conducted by Fortune India in collaboration with global brand consultancy firm Interbrand. The study pegs Kohli's brand value at a staggering ₹3,542 crore.

Movie superstar Shah Rukh Khan and global movie star Priyanka Chopra Jonas are at No.2 and No. 3, respectively, in the final list of the top 25 most valuable celebrities.

The Fortune India-Interbrand study arrives at the list of most valuable celebrities based on several parameters well beyond mere box-office collections or endorsements.

The study is the result of a detailed methodology that goes well beyond mere earnings or box-office pickings of the celebrities, and delves into several other factors which together determine the celebrity’s final brand value. Financial performance apart, the methodology goes deep into the various aspects which determine brand strength—distinctiveness, coherence, engagement, trust, affinity and responsibility. By treating personal brands as managed economic assets, the methodology offers profound insights beyond simple follower counts. 

The Top 3 apart, cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni (No. 4) and Sachin Tendulkar (No. 8) are the other two cricket icons in the Top 10, which is evidence of the massive popularity of cricket in India.

Fresh from the record-shattering success of the two-film Dhurandhar franchise, Ranveer Singh, who is also seen as a smart entrepreneur, comes in at No. 5, with Akshay Kumar, who is seen as hugely popular in the mass retail market with his brand immune to box-office ups and downs, is at No. 6. The ageless megastar Amitabh Bachchan is at No. 7 on the back of his legendary reliability as a brand across generations, while Alia Bhatt finishes at No. 9. Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who has become a national phenomenon with his Pushpa films, is at No.10. 

Among women celebrities, the list of Top 25 has Deepika Padukone at No. 11, Rashmika Mandanna at No. 17, while Kriti Sanon, cricketer Smriti Mandhana and southern superstar Nayanthara occupy the final three slots to complete the list of 25. The list of 25 also includes musicians Diljit Dosanjh, who is a craze in the concert circuit as well, and Arijit Singh, who has dominated the music scene for years. Karan Johar, Sourav Ganguly, and actor Vicky Kaushal also make it to the maiden list.

The Fortune India-Interbrand list is also evidence of the enormous popularity of the movies, with a majority of the celebrities coming from the world of cinema. Cricket follows, and is evidence of the fact that movies and cricket are segments which throw up the maximum number of celebrity brands. 

The list is part of the June 2026 issue of Fortune India, which is out now. The issue has four distinctive covers.