Actor Ranveer Singh emerged as the most valued celebrity of 2022 with a brand value of $181.7 million, ending cricketer Virat Kohli’s reign of five years in the top spot, according to Kroll’s latest Celebrity Brand Valuation Report.

Kohli secured the second rank with a brand value of $176.9 million and Akshay Kumar held steady in third position with a brand value of $153.6 million.

Alia Bhatt retained the fourth spot and the title of the most valued female celebrity with a valuation of $102.9 million. Deepika Padukone rejoined the league of the top five most valued celebs, with a brand valuation of $82.9 million.

With South Indian movies garnering a pan-India viewership, for the first time South Indian stars, Allu Arjun ($31.4 million) and Rashmika Mandanna ($25.3 million), marked their entry among India’s top 25 most valued celebrities.

In sports, Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra debuted at No. 23 ranking, along with Commonwealth gold medalist PV Sindhu (each valued at $26.5 million).

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar ($73.6 million) entered the top-10 club in the eighth spot, while MS Dhoni ($80.3 million) was ranked in the sixth position.

Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan were also among the top ten most valued celebs. The overall brand value of the top 25 celebrities in 2022 is estimated at $1.6 billion, jumping by 29.1 per cent over that in 2021.

Aviral Jain, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services, Kroll said Ranveer became the most valued celebrity brand in India on the back of his “mammoth” endorsement portfolio and widening global presence.

“This year’s theme ‘Beyond the Mainstream’ marks the stupendous rise of South Indian movie stars given the success South Indian movies have seen pan-India in the past two years. This is trickling down to the endorsements as well,” Jain added.

The report stated that limited movie releases from Bollywood, growing consumption of regional and international content on OTT, the Boycott Bollywood movement on social media and strategic marketing of South Indian films, has made brands look beyond the mainstream. “Brands are also opting for South Indian stars as national faces for their campaigns,” Jain pointed out.

“Additionally, not only top cricketers, but also athletes such as Neeraj Chopra, continue to do well with their strong performances at global sporting events,” Jain added. At the same time, India’s T20 captain Hardik Pandya also debuted in the 19th spot.

From a Bollywood perspective, new faces such as Kiara Advani, Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan marked their entry in the top 25 most valued celebs rankings, he added.

Also read: Celebrity brand value rankings: At $171 m, Virat Kohli retains top spot

Asked about the impact of macro-economic conditions, Jain said the cumulative number of product brand endorsements by the top 20 celebrities increased to 424 brands in 2022, reflecting a significant increase from 376 product brands in 2021. “Endorsement fee growth stagnated for some of the mature celebrities. But for the larger community of stars, especially the new emerging celebrities, endorsement fees grew anywhere from 10-30 per cent,” he added.

With digital ad spends on the rise led by social media, influencer marketing spends have been 2x compared to 2021; brands are also banking on the social media following of endorsers. “Social media may not be the most important aspect when selecting a celebrity, but it plays a huge role in building credibility and in developing a fully engaged fan base,” the report noted. 

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