From paycheques to ownership
Bollywood’s biggest names are no longer betting only on fees. A new pattern has emerged: stars are taking stakes in the companies they once simply endorsed, and parking money in assets that keep working when the cameras stop.
The report points to four main routes: consumer and startup equity, real estate, sports franchises, and production companies that own content rights.
Startup and brand equity
Katrina Kaif launched Kay Beauty with Nykaa, Priyanka Chopra was an early backer of Bumble, and Shraddha Kapoor has put money into brands and startups. Alia Bhatt built Ed-a-Mamma, a children’s clothing label in which Reliance acquired a major stake; she has also invested in Nykaa and Phool.co. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX has become a recognised activewear brand, and Deepika Padukone’s Ka Enterprises holds investments in Epigamia, BluSmart and Supertails alongside her skincare label 82°E.
The shift is subtle but important: these are equity relationships, not just ambassador contracts.
Real estate, sports and content
Property remains a core holding. Actors buy apartments, offices and land, and in Mumbai they rent commercial space in Bandra, Andheri and Juhu. Kriti Sanon and her family reportedly made meaningful gains selling apartments in Andheri West. The Bachchan family has looked beyond Mumbai, including land in Pune and Ayodhya, and several actors have invested in projects by Sri Lotus Developers.
Sports ownership is a longer-duration bet. Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders has won the IPL three times, behind only Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, and the Knight Riders Group opened the Knight Riders Cricket Ground at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, in July. Preity Zinta’s IPL involvement is another example of a team held as a growth asset.
Production houses turn stardom into ownership of stories. Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Filmz produced Paatal Lok and Bulbbul. Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions co-produced Darlings and Jigra. Hrithik’s HRXFilms has partnered with Prime Video for Storm and Mess. Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment produce a wide slate, with income from streaming, television rights, overseas distribution and digital licensing that can continue long after theatrical release.
Why this matters
For readers who track Hindi cinema, the significance is structural. A star who owns a brand, a production library or a team earns from the asset’s performance, not only from a film’s first weekend. That changes career longevity and negotiating power.
The newer, riskier frontier is pre-IPO investing. Reports suggest Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have explored such opportunities through advisers. The upside is significant if a company lists well; the risk is that private valuations do not hold.
What to watch
- More celebrity labels moving from endorsement deals to founder or equity roles.
- Production houses building OTT libraries that keep generating licensing income.
- Pre-IPO bets by stars, where returns depend on listing-day performance.
The throughline is the same: film salaries are becoming one part of a larger balance sheet. For a generation of Hindi cinema names, the real asset may be the company they own, not just the film they are shooting.
Source: Mint
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