Celeb power: How stars became India’s most powerful brands

IT IS SAID that movies and cricket are like religion in India. Millions of moviegoers throng theatres to watch the latest blockbusters and families are glued to their televisions to watch the latest streaming release on their favourite platforms. Equally, cricket-crazy fans fill up stadia across the country to watch cricket matches or the hugely popular Indian Premier League T20 tournament. Big money, big advertising bucks, and massive endorsement fees make both movie stars and cricketers national favourites, crossing language and geographical barriers. Nothing unites India more than sport and the movies.