SRK replaces Salman as India’s top-earning celeb on Forbes list

Outpaces Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan who rank second and third respectively

MUMBAI: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has climbed back to the number one spot on the 2015 Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.

Having slipped to number three last year, SRK made it back to the top, replacing last year's top position holder, Salman Khan, who has dropped down to second.



Megastar Amitabh Bachchan also slipped down one spot and ranked third on the list, while cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni maintained his rank at number four.

SRK's earnings are estimated at INR257.5 crore, the highest ever any celebrity has made in the four-year history of Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.

In fact, his earnings make up as much as nine per cent of the total wealth of the top 100 celebrities this year -- INR2,819 crore.

While the Forbes India Rich List focuses on net worth, the Celebrity 100 list is arrived at by measuring money (earnings estimates) and fame.



The list includes movie actors, television stars, sportspersons, authors, film directors, music directors, singers and stand-up comedians. Their gross pre-tax earnings are combined with their fame scores to arrive at the list.



On the fame rankings, the Chennai Express actor still lags behind at number four, with Big B reigning at number one with over 18 million followers on Twitter, the highest-ever for any celebrity on the list.

Actor Aamir Khan, grossed money through his outstanding film PK and revenues from brand endorsements which helped him rake in an estimated INR104.25 crore, his highest in the last four years. It's an increase of 145 per cent to what he earned in 2012.

On the other hand, actresses Alia Bhatt and Madhuri Dixit have moved up the list despite any movie release in the time period under consideration (October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015).

Their rise on the list is entirely due to earnings from brand endorsements and their fame quotient.

The list this year has also witnessed a few who jumped ranks and moved up considerably higher in just one year.

Among the top three Celebrity 100 List rank gainers are Kolaveri Di Dhanush (who moved up 41 ranks) and is at number 37, cricketer Rohit Sharma and Telugu actor Allu Arjun (both moved up 38 ranks) and are at number 12 and number 42 respectively.



This year's list also features 14 debutants. Among them are cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who comes in straight at number 31, filmmaker SS Rajamouli and actor Prabhas, who made it to the list due to the monster hit Baahubali. 

There were more dropouts this year, with 19 celebrities losing their ranks on the list.

Notable names like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, AR Murugadoss and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy moved out of the list in 2015.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th,  2015.

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