When we say Bollywood, several figures and glories flash through our minds. From legendary actors to yesteryear's veterans, glamour and fame is what Bollywood is all about. It is a world of glamour, fame, and fleeting stardom, dazzling yet unpredictable, prompting many Bollywood actors to carve parallel paths as entrepreneurs. Whether driven by passion to seek stability beyond screen life, or simply wanting to shape ventures aligned with their values, several stars have built thriving businesses outside of films, setting an example for actors to become entrepreneurs: success stories we will explore in this blog.

Bollywood's influence on consumer brands is immense, prompting many consumers to adopt its style. This can be one reason they decide to become brand owners rather than brand faces and build a thriving empire for themselves. Some are halfway, while others have risen to become pioneers. In this blog, we will dive into the entrepreneurial journeys of Bollywood entrepreneurs, their vision, their ventures, and the philosophies that fuel their success

From Bollywood to Boardrooms: Celebrities' Business Empire Beyond the Camera Lens 

Shah Rukh Khan: Red Chillies Entertainment & KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Popularly denoted as King Khan in the entertainment industry, Shah Rukh Khan's business investments have expanded over the years. He is one of the individuals who established Bollywood production houses, owned by actors, which allowed him to control storytelling, production quality, and cutting-edge visual effects (VFX), giving him independence as an artist and producer. 

Business: Red Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan's business investments, a film studio & VFX)

Kolkata Knight Riders (co-owner of IPL team via Red Chillies Sports)

Investors/partners: Partnerships across film distributors, streaming platforms, and sports commercial partners (KKR sponsors). Global presence through international film releases and VFX contracts. 

Latest revenue(profit/loss): Red Chillies reported operating revenue of more than INR 500 crore for FY24 and declared a profit for FY23; exact consolidated numbers vary by source. Film businesses are cyclical; some releases underperform, but VFX/IP & sports provide recurring revenue, with no public insolvency reports.

Strategic Head: 

 ​1.Venky Mysore has been CEO of related sports/KKR operations and Red Chillies.

2. The executive team has recently changed, yet Shah Rukh Khan remains the Founder and Managing Director (CMD) of Red Chillies. 

3. His wife, Gauri Khan, is Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director, overseeing creative production. Gaurav Verma serves as COO / Producer at Red Chillies. 

Latest revenue(profit/loss): Red Chillies reported operating revenue of more than INR 500 crore for FY24 and declared a profit for FY23; exact consolidated numbers vary by source. Film businesses are cyclical; some releases underperform, but VFX/IP & sports provide recurring revenue, with no public insolvency reports.

Strategic Head: Venky Mysore has been CEO of related sports/KKR operations and Red Chillies. The executive team has recently changed, yet Shah Rukh Khan remains the Founder and Managing Director (CMD) of Red Chillies. His wife, Gauri Khan, is Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director, overseeing creative production. Gaurav Verma serves as COO / Producer at Red Chillies. 

Salman Khan: Being Human (charity + consumer brand) & Salman Khan Films

Salman Khan, another celebrity with a massive fan following, launched Being Human in 2012 to give his philanthropic efforts long-term financial backing. Taking a step ahead of traditional donation models, he developed a sustainable funding mechanism and established a fashion brand whose royalties fund his Being Human Foundation, turning charity into commerce. He is also included in the list of Bollywood production houses owned by actors to gain creative control and an alternate revenue stream beyond his acting career. 

Business: Being Human Foundation (charity) is funded largely by licensed merchandise (clothing, watches). Salman also runs Salman Khan Films (production). 

Investors/partners: Being Human holds licensing partners with retail distribution in India and overseas; SKBH production is a private company, and its management is limited to Salman Khan and his family.

Revenue (profit/loss): Being Human-branded merchandise historically generated tens of crores INR in yearly sales, with the charity’s direct share percentage contractually locked and applied automatically across all sales. The brand expanded globally, with stores and outlets across India, Europe, and the Middle East, reflecting strong market acceptance. As a licensing model, margins shift by licensee performance; no major public loss reports. And as for SKBH Productions, its profitability depends on each film’s box office and distribution deals.

Strategic Head: The clothing lines are licensed (previously by Mandhana Industries). Salman Khan retains a founder/brand-owner role, overseeing design approval and marketing; Salman’s film company has internal production heads, yet all the management is closely tied to him, retaining his central role in both the business. 

Hrithik Roshan: HRX

The overnight star, famous for fitness, style, and dance, established a fitness and lifestyle brand that aligns with his image. He aimed to create a homegrown brand that combined global-style athleisure with local sensibilities when he saw mass interest in fitness and style, but a problem with affordable availability. His business model is backed by this belief of authenticity rather than shallow glam, portraying his own fitness journey and personal philosophy: “Keep Going.”

Business:HRX  is Hrithik Roshan's fitness brand & lifestyle brand, co-founded with partner(s). 

Investors/partners: In August 2016, Myntra (owned by Flipkart) acquired a 51% stake in HRX. Hrithik and Exceed retained 49%. This tie-up gave a huge boost to the brand with access to a robust supply chain, e-commerce infrastructure, and consumer data. 

Revenue/profit: Various trade reports claim HRX scaled into large hundreds of crores (some claims ~₹1,000 crore) revenue over time and claimed profitability via channel partnerships, but HRX is private, so numbers vary by source. The brand continues to expand its product portfolio, from active apparel to footwear, accessories, fitness wearables, and even travel gear, partnering with logistic brands like Myntra and Amazon. Brand has reportedly been profitable via platform partnerships; no public insolvency.

Strategic Head: Hrithik Roshan is the co-founder of HRX, established in 2012, alongside Exceed Entertainment. While Hritik remains a major shareholder and Co-founder, Afsar Zaidi, another Co-founder, operates as the CEO of HRX, while Ajay Singh executes the Business & Marketing Head role. 

Global presence: Primarily India; product distribution via e-commerce (Myntra, Amazon), and some exports are global.

Deepika Padukone: 82°E (skincare/wellness) & investor

If you are a Deepika fan, you would be aware of her strong belief in self-care and mental wellness. In the same lines, she launched 82°E as a personal vision turned into a business, a self-care and skincare brand. As she mentioned in an interview, her brand portrays “Modern Indian woman … rooted in India, global in outlook.” 

Business: Founder/owner of 82°E (skincare & wellness), plus Deepika Padukone ventures, and invests in several projects like KA Enterprise. 

Investors/partners: In late 2022, 82°E raised US$7.5 million in seed funding from DSG Consumer Partners, IDEO Ventures, a few ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs), and Deepika’s family office.

Revenue (profit/loss): The Company is private; public revenue/profit figures are not disclosed. Deepika invests via personal equity into consumer startups. No public loss reporting; as a new consumer brand, scale & profitability depend on distribution. 

Strategic Head: 82°E was co-founded by Deepika Padukone and entrepreneur Jigar K. Shah. It operates with professional management, brand partnerships, and distribution via retail/e-commerce. Keerthana Ramakrishnan served as CMO, but currently, all the details except for the founder are not public. 

Global presence: It's primarily based in India, with selective international distribution depending on retailer partnerships. 

Alia Bhatt: Ed-a-Mamma Brand (sustainable kidswear) Co-exist & investor

Being in the news ever since her entry in Bollywood for many reasons, Alia Bhatt invested in many companies. When we talk of Bollywood investment in startups, she has been doing that for a long investing in some upcoming projects and aiding them. But she established her own ventures, the first being Co-exist to promote eco-friendly ideology and sustainability. Then in 2020, she launched the kidsware brand to create sustainable, safe, design-led clothing for children and mothers, reflecting both her personal values and a rising demand among young, socially aware parents.

Business: Ed-a-Mamma kidswear (sustainable), plus personal investments in fashion and consumer businesses like Nykaa, Caprese, Phool.co, and Stylecracker. 

Investors/partners: The partnership with Reliance Retail is the biggest strategic shift — giving Ed-a-Mamma access to large-scale manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and retail reach across thousands of stores nationwide. 

Revenue (profit/loss): Ed-a-Mamma grew rapidly after launch and was reported as a ~₹150 crore brand by 2023. But its management is private, and no confirmed public audited revenue/profit is available. Early-stage brand scale reported as modest but growing. 

Strategic Head: Legally, the brand sits under entities such as Eternalia Creative & Merchandising Pvt Ltd / Eternalia / the founder company, and Alia is a director/founder. Day-to-day operational control moved toward a joint-venture structure after Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) acquired 51% in Sept 2023

Global presence: Primarily India; some e-commerce exports make global exports possible. Celebrity-backed D2C brands often focus on brand value and marketing ROI over immediate profits.

Katrina Kaif: Kay Beauty (with Nykaa)

An actress known for her flawless beauty and hard work has her own liking and fascination with makeup and beauty products. When she saw the gap in the Indian beauty market, affordable products, vegan/cruelty-free, and formulated specifically for Indian skin tones and climate, she decided to make her dream a reality. In 2019, she launched Kay Beauty as a personal mission to “bring high-performance, skin-friendly makeup to everyone,” reflecting her own values and long-term vision beyond Bollywood. 

Business:Kay Beauty celebrity-founded cosmetics brand, other investments, and brand endorsements. 

Partners/investors: Nykaa (FSN E-Commerce Ventures) is the platform partner and investor; Kay products are exclusively available on Nykaa’s, and it benefits from distribution and global retail tie-ups. 

Revenue (profit/loss): Kay Beauty has shown strong growth: recent reporting cites gross sales crossing ~₹240–350 crore (GMV / sales figures in 2024–25 reporting) and ranked among Nykaa’s top brands. 

Strategic Head:  Operates jointly with Nykaa’s brand/retail teams; Katrina reportedly owns ~41–49% equity stake in Kay Beauty, giving her significant skin-in-the-game rather than just a celebrity-endorsement role. 

Global presence: With Nykaa’s platform, Kay has strong India distribution and is moving into GCC/UK via retail partners; no public loss reports, and Nykaa’s strong beauty growth supports Kay.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Purple Pebble Pictures, Sona Home & Anomaly

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a global name gaining fame, and if you have a question, are Bollywood stars good in investments? She is the best example. She has always been philanthropic and business-minded, proving with her various ventures. Her production house focuses on small-budget and regional films (Marathi, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Nepali, Assamese, Hindi, etc.) to nurture new talent.

Business: Actor, producer (Purple Pebble Pictures), and founder/owner of small consumer brands, Sona Home, home décor and haircare brand Anomaly. Investment venture in Bumble, Holberton School, Perfect Moment, Apartment List, and Genies

Partners/investors: PPP was founded in 2015 by Priyanka and her mother, Dr Madhu Chopra. SONA started as an Indian fine-dining restaurant in NYC (2021). Later, in 2022, Priyanka and business partner Maneesh Goyal launched SONA Home, a curated homeware & décor line.

Revenue (profit/loss): If you are curious, how much is Priyanka Chopra's company worth? Then, a little insight into production house revenue fluctuates by slate; Sona Home/Anomaly are private with no published revenues. Purple Pebble produces regional films which can be profitable per release. Production houses have project-level variance; no major public losses have been recorded.

Strategic Head: Priyanka as founder/funder with professional CEOs/managers; partners vary by venture. Global presence: Active in India and the US (Hollywood), regional film production, and international brand placements. 

Anushka Sharma: Nush (clothing), Clean Slate Filmz (production)

Bollywood production houses owned by actors are increasing in the wake of content-driven, “clutter-breaking” films and web series, stories they believed in rather than standard commercial fare, with the same aim Anushka started her production house. She has other investments and a brand she founded that is flourishing, and after marriage, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma's brand value has increased, aiding their business on another level. 

Business: Nush (lifestyle/food earlier) rated high among Indian celebrity fashion brands, Clean Slate Filmz (production) — produces TV/films and digital content. Invested in Slurrp farms, Blue Tribe Foods, Digit Insurance, etc, along with food (healthy snacks) and F&B, aligning with lifestyle and wellness, reflecting her broader interests beyond acting. 

Partners/investors: Anushka co-founded Clean Slate Filmz with her brother Karnesh Sharma. Nush was founded in 2017, in partnership with Suditi Industries. 

Revenue (profit/loss): Clean Slate’s revenue is tied to film/streaming deals; exact figures are not public. Nush and snack investments are private, with limited public revenue data. 

Strategic Head: Anushka invests with co-founders and hires professional execs; production partnerships with streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.). For Nush, Anushka is the brand owner/creative face; she was involved in styling and design approval as per original launch statements.

Global presence: Content distributed globally via OTT platforms; brand presence mainly in India. 

Kriti Sanon: Brand portfolio & Blue Butterfly Films

Just as she built herself in movies, she is another Bollywood entrepreneur who is taking a step at a time towards building her business empire. She has several endorsements then her skincare product, fitness brand and production house. Just like any other Bollywood production houses owned by actors start with a desire for creative control and to produce films aligned with their personal vision.

Business: Celebrity-backed consumer lines like Hyphen skincare brand, The Tribe fitness brand, Ms Taken, an Indian celebrity fashion brand, and a production banner, Blue Butterfly Films, are others. She also has Brand endorsements & social-media influencer revenue.

Partners/investors: Blue Butterfly Films was formally co-founded with her sister, Nupur Sanon. The skincare product Hyphen was co-founded with PEP Technologies. She partnered with Universal Sportsbiz Pvt Ltd (USPL), founded by Anjana Reddy, for her brand Ms Taken.

Revenue (profit/loss): Privately held, no public revenue data; early-stage brand revenues are generally small to mid-scale. Yet Hyphen reportedly crossed ₹100 crore in revenue within its first year, yet it's speculated. 

Strategic Head: Partnered with industry entrepreneurs for brand operations; production deals with distributors/OTT platforms. 

Global presence: Mostly India; no major loss reports.

Malaika Arora: Wellness, nutrition & food ventures

Malaika Arora, gaining fame through Bollywood, has been famous for her fitness, yoga, healthy lifestyle and clean eating. Over the years, she publicly promoted mindful living, a balanced diet and yoga, essentially positioning herself as a health & wellness advocate. And with her business venture, she extended her passion to a profession. She is one of the actresses who flaunts Bollywood investments in startups, with her funding for multiple start-ups.

Business: Co-owns SARVA Yoga and Kapiva (wellness/yoga initiatives), Nude Bowls, Get-A-Way nutrition/food service ventures;  MAV, she evaluates and invests in startups (investments in fitness/wellness startups). 

Partners/investors: All her ventures are investments she funds and is a funder, stakeholder, except Nude Bowls, and MAV (Malaika Arora Ventures)  

Revenue (profit/loss): For small/medium private ventures, there are no public consolidated revenue figures. 

Strategic Head: Typically partners with fitness professionals/entrepreneurs; operations run by management teams. SARVA Yoga, the founder and CEO, is Sarvesh Shashi; Malaika’s role is as investor/brand-backer and co-founder. Kapiva was founded by Ameve Sharma and Shrey Badhani. Malaika’s role is as strategic investor + brand ambassador + wellness mentor. The brand Nude Bowls launched under the platform of Rebel Foods, so, while Malaika as the founder. MAV (Malaika Arora Ventures) As noted, this seems to be a personal holding/investment umbrella with Malaika at the centre.

Global presence: Primarily India and the UAE for wellness projects; no public loss reports.

Summary

Many Bollywood celebrities are now building successful business empires beyond films, using their fame, values, and personal passions to create long-term ventures. Stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anushka Sharma, Kriti Sanon, and Malaika Arora have launched and expanded brands across industries such as beauty, wellness, fitness, fashion, kidswear, production, home décor, and sports.

Their motivations range from creative control and financial stability to promoting sustainability, self-care, and modern lifestyles. With strategic partnerships, global distribution, and strong brand identities, these actors have successfully transitioned from celebrities to entrepreneurs shaping India’s consumer landscape.

So that was for Celebrities building their business empires and making it big beyond the lens. Passion can be made into progress if implemented properly. With the right direction, you can make your dream a reality. If you want to know more about such interesting factors about your favourite celebrities, you can read our other blog, Bollywood’s Dubai Address.