Virat Kohli topples Shah Rukh Khan as India’s top celebrity brand: Study

Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli is giving a run for money to Bollywood bigwigs like Shah Rukh Khan. According to a latest study by global valuation and corporate finance advisor Duff & Phelps, Kohli has for the first time replaced Shah Rukh Khan as India’s top-ranked celebrity brand.

According to the report titled Rise of the Millennials: India’s Most Valuable Celebrity Brands, Kohli, along with Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, lead the ascent of the millennials to the top of the rankings.

“For the first time since we began publishing our rankings, Shah Rukh Khan has slipped from the top ranking and been replaced by Virat Kohli. Kohli is now the first choice of brands to engage and attract consumers, fuelled by his extraordinary on-field performances and off-field charisma,” said Varun Gupta, Duff & Phelps Managing Director and Region Leader - India, Japan and Southeast Asia.

“In addition to Kohli, other young celebrities such as Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and badminton champion PV Sindhu have either risen in the rankings or entered our top15 list, backed by noteworthy performances in their respective fields and strong endorsement signings over the last year,” Mr. Gupta added.

He further said that while Bollywood celebrities continue to dominate the top 15, sportspersons are providing tough competition as Kohli, Dhoni and Sindhu, collectively valued at US$180 million, account for almost a quarter of the total celebrity brand value of the category.

The report also highlights evolving trends in the brand endorsements space, including celebrities endorsing tourism campaigns, backing various sports tournaments/franchises, and launching their own line of merchandise. 

The ones following Kohli are Shah Rukh Khan (US$106 million), Deepika Padukone (US$93 million), Akshay Kumar (US$47 million) and Ranveer Singh (US$42 million).

Also, the new entrants to the top15 celebrities included Varun Dhawan debuting at number 10 and P.V. Sindhu at number 15.

The top sectors using celebrity brand endorsers included personal care, food and beverages, automobiles, smartphones and clothing.