MUMBAI: For the first time ever, a sportsperson is challenging an actor’s domination at the top of the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List, which has usual suspect Salman Khan as THE man for the third year running.
On the back of Rs 2.5325 billion earned through his film releases, television appearances and brand endorsements between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2018 (the period under consideration), the 52-year-old actor retains his position as India’s highest-paid celebrity.
At No 2 is Team India cricket captain in all formats Virat Kohli, with Rs 2.2809 billion in earnings.
With cumulative earnings of Rs 31.4025 billion, it was a lucrative year for the 100 celebrities on the list. Last year, the figure was 17% lower at Rs 26.830 billion Forbes reports.
Among sports celebrities, the “trinity” of Kohli, MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar continue to reign supreme as the biggest earners in Indian sport.
Cricketing legend Tendulkar holds a unique distinction of featuring in the top 10 every year (9th this year). Though he retired from the game in 2013, his earnings stood at Rs 800 million this year compared to the average of Rs 731.2 million over the past seven years. Brand Tendulkar is intact and going strong, Forbes asserts.
Dhoni, meanwhile, who earned Rs 1.0177 billion in the period under review, is second on the sports charts and fifth overall.
In all, 15 cricketers feature on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. Other than cricketers, sports stars who have made it to the 100 list include three badminton players, two golfers and one boxer:
The full list of sports celebrities on the Forbes India Celebrity 100:
02. Virat Kohli – Rs 2,280.9m
05. Mahendra Singh Dhoni- Rs 1,017.7m
09. Sachin Tendulkar – Rs 800.0m
20. PV Sindhu – Rs 365.0m
23. Rohit Sharma – Rs 314.9m
27. Hardik Pandya – Rs 284.6m
44. Ravichandran Ashwin – Rs 189.0m
52. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Rs 172.6m
55. Suresh Raina – Rs 169.6m
58. Saina Nehwal – Rs 165.4m
60. Jasprit Bumrah – Rs 164.2m
62. Shikhar Dhawan – Rs 162.6m
68. Ravindra Jadeja – Rs 153.9m
78. Ajinkya Rahane – Rs 120.2m
81. Anirban Lahiri – Rs 119.9m
87. Srikanth Kidambi – Rs 105.0m
96. Vijender Singh – Rs 64.00m
98. Shubhankar Sharma – Rs 45.00m
