Ananya Panday Makes One of Kroll’s Biggest Celebrity Brand Jumps, Rising From No. 46 to No. 25

Ananya Panday has recorded one of the sharpest upward movements in Kroll's Celebrity Brand Valuation rankings, strengthening her position not just as a film star but as a commercially valuable face for advertisers.

Kroll's official Celebrity Brand Valuation 2024 study places Ananya at No. 25 among India's most valuable celebrity brands, with her brand value estimated at $35.2 million.

The number becomes more significant when compared with the previous year.

Ananya was ranked No. 46 in 2023, meaning she climbed 21 places within a year - a rise specifically highlighted by Kroll among the notable movements in its latest published celebrity study.

Ananya Panday climbs 21 positions

The headline number is not that Ananya entered the Top 20 - the official report does not support that claim.

Her actual achievement is arguably interesting enough without exaggeration.

Moving from No. 46 to No. 25 represents a substantial improvement in her standing within India's celebrity endorsement market. Kroll specifically included Ananya alongside Kriti Sanon, Tamannaah Bhatia and Jasprit Bumrah while highlighting celebrities who recorded notable movements in its 2024 rankings.

The study estimates Ananya's celebrity brand value at $35.2 million.

She finished immediately behind Allu Arjun, who was ranked No. 24 at $35.5 million. Jasprit Bumrah stood at No. 22 with $38.1 million, while Ayushmann Khurrana was No. 23 at $36.1 million.

That places Ananya within a commercially significant group of established actors and athletes even though she remains outside the Top 20.

What does Kroll's ‘brand value’ actually mean?

A celebrity's position on the list should not be confused with their personal net worth, annual income or film salary.

Kroll describes its study as ranking India's most powerful celebrity brands using valuations derived from factors including their brand endorsement portfolios and relative social-media presence.

In other words, the $35.2 million figure should be described as Ananya's estimated celebrity brand value according to Kroll's methodology - not as money sitting in her bank account or the amount she earned from endorsements during the year.

That distinction is particularly important when these rankings circulate on social media, where “brand valuation” and “net worth” can easily become conflated.

The Top 25 is dominated by established names

Ananya's rise becomes clearer when placed against the wider ranking.

Virat Kohli retained the No. 1 position with a brand valuation of $231.1 million, followed by Ranveer Singh at $170.7 million and Shah Rukh Khan at $145.7 million.

Alia Bhatt climbed to No. 4 with $116.4 million, while Sachin Tendulkar completed the Top Five at $112.2 million.

Kroll estimated the combined brand value of India's Top 25 celebrities at approximately $2 billion in 2024, representing growth of more than 8.6% over the previous year.

Against that field, reaching No. 25 after sitting at No. 46 a year earlier represents a notable change in Ananya's commercial positioning.

Her rise comes during an evolving phase of her career

Ananya's improved ranking also arrived after a period in which her screen career increasingly expanded beyond conventional theatrical releases.

Projects such as Kho Gaye Hum Kahan and CTRL placed her in contemporary stories closely connected with social media, technology and young urban audiences, while Call Me Bae gave her a lead streaming-series role.

That shift is relevant to celebrity branding because visibility today is not generated exclusively through box-office hits.

Kroll's broader 2024 study itself points towards the growing relationship between theatrical cinema, streaming and digital reach. The firm noted that OTT platforms now contribute significantly to the economics surrounding major releases and described the industry's future as increasingly hybrid.

For younger actors, sustained digital visibility can therefore coexist with — and potentially strengthen - traditional film stardom.

Ananya's rise is part of a broader reshuffling

She was not the only celebrity to make a major move.

Kriti Sanon rose from No. 27 to No. 19, while Tamannaah Bhatia moved from No. 28 to No. 21. Jasprit Bumrah made an even larger jump, climbing from No. 41 to No. 22.

Rashmika Mandanna moved from No. 20 to No. 15.

The movements show that India's celebrity endorsement hierarchy is not fixed. Film visibility, sporting performance, endorsement activity and digital presence can significantly reshape the commercial standing of public figures from one year to the next.

The Celebrity Hour Take

Ananya Panday's 21-position jump is a stronger story than an unsupported Top-20 claim.

At No. 25, she remains some distance from Bollywood's highest-valued celebrity brands. But moving from No. 46 into Kroll's published Top 25 in a single year suggests a meaningful improvement in her commercial profile.

There is also a wider generational point. Celebrity influence is increasingly built across cinema, streaming, advertising and social media simultaneously. Ananya's recent career has operated across precisely those spaces, making her movement in a ranking partly informed by endorsements and digital presence worth watching.

What should not be done is turn that trajectory into a milestone she has not yet officially achieved. Based on the latest Kroll celebrity report I could verify, Ananya is No. 25 - not Top 20.