Kroll Celebrity Brand Valuation 2025: Nearly half of the Top 25 are actresses; no South male star in rankings

India's biggest celebrity brands are no longer dominated solely by male stars. Kroll's Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2025 highlights a notable shift, with 12 actresses featuring among the country's top 25 celebrity brands, up from nine in 2024. The remaining 13 names comprise a mix of male film stars and cricketers, underscoring the growing commercial influence of female actors in India's endorsement landscape.

The report values the combined brand worth of India's top 25 celebrities at USD 2 billion in 2025.

Compared to last year's rankings, the number of actresses in the top 25 has increased by three.

The 12 actresses featured in this year's list are:

In comparison, the 2024 rankings featured Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Kriti Sanon, Kiara Advani, Kareena Kapoor, Tamannaah Bhatia, Rashmika Mandanna, Ananya Panday and Anushka Sharma.

Among the new entrants this year are Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Janhvi Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, reflecting the growing commercial appeal of actresses across languages and platforms.

Several actresses also improved their rankings this year.

The rankings suggest brands are increasingly investing in actresses who enjoy strong theatrical presence alongside significant digital reach.

One of the report's biggest surprises is the absence of any South Indian male superstar from the top 25 celebrity brands. Despite blockbuster success and global popularity, names such as Allu Arjun, Prabhas, Ram Charan, Jr NTR and Mahesh Babu do not feature in this year's rankings.

The absence is particularly notable because Allu Arjun was part of the 2024 list, making 2025 the first edition in recent years without a South Indian male actor among India's top celebrity brands.

Interestingly, while South Indian male stars are missing, Rashmika Mandanna and Samantha Ruth Prabhu continue to represent the southern film industries, highlighting the growing endorsement strength of female actors.

Editorial note: The absence of South Indian male stars in Kroll's Top 25 reflects the report's valuation methodology based on endorsement portfolios and social media presence. It should not be interpreted as a measure of box office success or popularity alone.