SRK beats Salman to top of the ‘Forbes’ list

Shah Rukh Khan has regained his position as India’s top-earning celebrity, with estimated earnings of Rs2.5 billion (Dh136 million) this year, pushing Salman Khan to the second position in the latest Forbes list. Khan had lost his top rank to ‘friend and archrival’ Salman last year and had slipped to the third position, Forbes said in its annual India Celebrity List for 2015 on Friday.

Incidentally, the list comes a day after Salman was acquitted by Bombay High Court in a nearly 13-yearold hit and run case.

Salman’s estimated earnings, as per the latest list, stand at Rs2.02 billion. Amitabh Bachchan is at third position, down from his second position last year.

Forbes said the total wealth of top 100 celebrities stood at Rs28.19 billion, while cinema and cricket dominate the top-ten positions.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ranked fourth and is followed by Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan in the top-ten list.

Besides the earnings estimates, the overall Celebrity 100 list also takes into account fame. “Their gross pre-tax earnings are combined with their fame scores to arrive at the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List,” the magazine said.

In terms of earnings alone, 50-year-old Khan topped the list while Salman is at the second position. However, Akshay Kumar ranks higher at third position in terms of earnings and is followed by Dhoni and Bachchan at fourth and fifth places, respectively.

Forbes said Khan’s estimated earnings is the highest ever any celebrity has made in the four-year history of the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.