- | 4:01 pm
Virat Kohli tops Kroll’s most valued celebrity rankings
Actor Ranveer Singh dropped to second place after topping last year's list
Ace cricketer and former Team India captain Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot as India’s most valued celebrity with a brand value of $227.9 million, according to brand consultancy Kroll.
Kohli, who was placed at No.2 last year, moved to the top of the rankings following his record-breaking performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, where he secured the Player of the Tournament title and broke the World Cup record for most runs scored in a single edition.
His endorsement deals with about 40 brands also chipped in, according to Kroll’s 2023 Celebrity Brand Valuation Report.
Actor Ranveer Singh, with a brand value of $203.1 million and about 50 brand endorsements, dropped to second place after topping last year’s list.
The report attributed his uphill climb to the box office success of his films Pathaan and Jawan, that etched his name as one of the year’s most bankable actors.
The list then placed actor Akshay Kumar at a strong fourth place with the brand value of $111.7 million, followed by Alia Bhatt at number five, with a brand value of $101.1 million.
The report owed her inclusion in the list to her box office successes last year with Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani as well as her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone.
Her campaign as the global brand ambassador for the luxury brand Gucci, her investments in baby care brands like SuperBottoms, and her kidswear startup Ed-a-Mamma — recently acquired by retail giant Reliance — ensured that Bhatt was a part of the top five.
When talking about her diverse portfolio, Bhatt shared that an investment for her was more than just about the money.
“I have to be able to relate to the company, the story, the founder, the philosophy and the product,” she said.
“Companies like Phool.co and SuperBottoms, which are environment first, resonate with my philosophy of caring for the environment and I will always consider businesses that have the potential to make a tangible impact,” she added.
Rounding out the top ten were Deepika Padukone, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Salman Khan.
The overall brand value of India’s top 25 celebrities reached $1.9 billion in 2023, a significant 15.5% increase compared to the previous year.
The report states that the Indian market is currently experiencing a golden age, as it attracts global brands with its ever-growing consumer base and ever-evolving preferences.
According to Knight Frank’s Wealth Report, the number of HNWIs in India is expected to skyrocket by 107.8% to 1.7 million in 2027, compared to just 0.8 million in 2022.
This economic boom has since then ignited a surge in demand for luxury goods, with younger consumers, particularly, embracing extravagance. Social media trends further amplified this shift, and made luxury a status symbol.
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