Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has joined the billionaire club for the first time, becoming one of the world's richest actors, according to a new list.

The 59-year-old's net worth is estimated at a staggering $1.4 billion (£1.03 billion), according to the Hurun India Rich List 2025, an annual ranking of India's wealthiest individuals.

This places him alongside global celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, pop star Rihanna, golfer Tiger Woods, and singer Taylor Swift, whose net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion by Forbes magazine.

Other Bollywood personalities on the list include actress Juhi Chawla, actors Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan, and film director Karan Johar.

Often referred to as Bollywood's king of romance, Khan has spent more than three decades in the Hindi film industry and has reinvented himself from being an actor to running a major production house and owning a cricket team.

Khan's billionaire status is mainly driven by his stakes in Red Chillies Entertainment, his production company, and Knight Rider Sports, his IPL cricket club, according to Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher at Hurun India.

His other sources of income include earnings from films, advertisements, and reported investments in real estate across the world.

Khan's entry into the billionaire list reflects the changing nature of India's economic growth drivers, according to Mr Junaid.

As the Indian economy matures and moves to its next stage of wealth creation, new centers of value are emerging beyond traditional sectors like manufacturing, IT, and banking.

Sports, entertainment, and intellectual property-driven businesses have become serious engines of wealth creation in India.

This shift is similar to the evolution seen in the United States, where rich lists once dominated by industrialists and bankers now feature sports-team owners, media moguls, and celebrity-led brands such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, and Beyoncé.

However, according to Forbes, while many celebrities are incredibly wealthy, it is rare for their net worth to reach ten figures, with fewer than two dozen people worldwide having achieved this feat.

While four other Bollywood celebrities and their families made it to Hurun's list this year, Khan's wealth is estimated to be significantly higher.

Juhi Chawla, Khan's co-star in several films, and her family appear at number two, with a net worth of $880 million.

The list also includes Hrithik Roshan, ranking third with a net worth of $260 million, followed by director Karan Johar at around $200 million, and actor Amitabh Bachchan and his family at approximately $183 million.

In 2024, Johar made headlines when he sold a 50% stake in his production company, Dharma Productions, to billionaire Adar Poonawalla, India's top vaccine maker, for $119 million.

India's overall billionaire count has now surpassed 350 people this year, with billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani retaining the top two spots according to Hurun India.