Ranveer Singh pips Virat Kohli to become India's most valuable celebrity

MUMBAI: Cricketer Virat Kohli's debatable on-field form in 2022 seems to have taken a toll on his brand value in 2022.

The right-hand batsman witnessed a further decline in his overall brand value to USD 176.9 million as against USD 185.7 million in 2021 and USD 237.7 million in 2020, as per a report by consulting firm Kroll.

Actor Ranveer Singh, who had dislodged peer Akshay Kumar to become the second most valuable celebrity in 2021, emerged as the most valued Indian celebrity in 2022, racing ahead of Kohli with an overall value of USD 181.7 million in 2022, up from USD 158.3 million in 2021.

"Ranveer became the most valued celebrity brand in India, given his mammoth endorsement portfolio and widening global presence," its managing director for valuation services, Aviral Jain, said.

With films from the south, like RRR doing handsomely well nationally and internationally, the brand values of celebrities from Tollywood had a northward journey in 2022 with Allu Arjun (USD 31.4 million) and Rashmika Mandanna (USD 25.3 million) breaking into top 25 celebrities by brand value.

Athlete Neeraj Chopra's Olympic medal in javelin catapulted him into the top 25 with a brand value of USD 26.5 million, at par with badminton player P V Sindhu.

Among the women, Alia Bhatt tops the list with a huge spike in brand value to USD 102.9 million in 2022 from USD 68.1 million in 2021.

The actor, who was also a part of RRR, is ranked fourth overall and is followed by Deepika Padukone at USD 82.9 million.

Former cricketer M S Dhoni was the sixth most valued celebrity at USD 80.3 million and Sachin Tendulkar was ranked eighth at USD 73.6 million.

Shah Rukh Khan, who had a successful outing with Pathaan in 2023, had an overall brand value of USD 55.7 million and was ranked tenth, while Salman Khan followed him with a brand valuation of USD 54.5 million, as per the report.