Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan has officially entered the billionaire club, becoming one of the world’s richest actors and the first Indian film star to achieve this milestone, according to the Hurun India Rich List 2025. The 59-year-old actor’s net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion (Rs. 12,245 crore), marking his debut among India’s wealthiest individuals.
Khan’s inclusion highlights a broader trend in India’s evolving wealth landscape, where the country’s booming entertainment and sports sectors are emerging as significant engines of value creation—beyond traditional pillars such as manufacturing, banking, and information technology.
With a career spanning over three decades, Khan—affectionately dubbed the ‘King of Bollywood’—has successfully transformed from a romantic hero to a business powerhouse. His wealth stems largely from his stakes in Red Chillies Entertainment, his film production and visual effects company, and Knight Rider Sports, the consortium that owns the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders.
“Khan’s billionaire status is driven mainly by his ownership in Red Chillies Entertainment and Knight Rider Sports,” said Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher of Hurun India. “As India’s economy matures, we are witnessing a shift where sports, entertainment, and IP-led businesses are creating unprecedented wealth.”
Besides his corporate interests, Khan continues to earn from blockbuster films, lucrative brand endorsements, and real estate investments in Mumbai, Dubai, and London. His ability to reinvent himself as both an actor and entrepreneur has kept him at the forefront of India’s celebrity economy.
The Hurun India Rich List also features four other Bollywood figures—Juhi Chawla, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, and Amitabh Bachchan—though Khan’s fortune stands far ahead of his peers. Chawla and her family are ranked next among entertainment personalities with a net worth of $880 million, followed by Roshan ($260 million), Johar ($200 million), and Bachchan and family ($183 million).
Last year, Johar made headlines after selling a 50 percent stake in Dharma Productions to billionaire vaccine tycoon Adar Poonawalla for $119 million, underlining the growing valuation of India’s creative industry assets.
Globally, Khan’s entry places him in the league of entertainment billionaires such as Rihanna, Tiger Woods, Taylor Swift, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose fortunes are built on both artistic success and savvy business ventures. According to Forbes, fewer than two dozen celebrities worldwide have reached the billion-dollar mark—a testament to Khan’s sustained brand power and business acumen.
India’s overall billionaire count has now surpassed 350, with Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani continuing to occupy the top two positions. But as Khan’s ascent shows, India’s next generation of billionaires may increasingly emerge not from boardrooms or factories, but from film sets, studios, and stadiums—where creativity and commerce now converge.
