You must have seen that upon gaining fame, successful Bollywood actors set up their own production houses… Well, that’s a spirit of Entrepreneurship! As you know India is the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world due to which Bollywood celebs diversified their portfolio to generate diverse income streams.
Stick to this article because we will look at eight famous Bollywood actors who have gracefully aced entrepreneurship!
List of Bollywood Actors who are successful entrepreneurs
Before diving into the details, let’s have a brief overview of the actors who have numerous business ventures-
Bollywood Actors | Companies/Ventures |
Shah Rukh Khan | Red Chillies Entertainment, Kolkata Knight Riders, SRK Boulevard, holds a 26% stake in KidZania’s Indian Franchise. |
Ajay Devgan | Ajay Devgn Films, A stake in Gujarat’s 25MW Charanka Solar Project, NYVFXWAALA |
Suniel Shetty | Popcorn Entertainment, Club H20, Mischief Dining Bar, Mischief Boutique, stake in Hakim Amla’s Salon, numerous gyms across India, invested in The Biohacker, Klassroom Edutech, Vieroots Wellness. |
Salman Khan | Salman Khan Films, Being Human (Clothing Brand), Being Strong fitness equipment, SK-27 Gym, FRSH (Personal Care Brands) |
Anil Kapoor | Anil Kapoor Film Company, Indian Super League Football Team (Co-owner), Antila Ventures (media and entertainment company) |
Sonu Sood | Shakti Sagar Productions, Explurger (social media app for travelers), Sood Charity Foundation |
Amitabh Bachchan | Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd, Singapore Slammers Tennis Team (Co-Owner), IPCA Laboratories (owner of Pharma manufacturing company) |
John Abraham | Northeast United (Soccer Team), Indian Hockey League’s Delhi Waveriders, John Abraham Seduction (Perfume Brand), Pure Wonder Abraham (Vodka Brand). |
Now, let’s dive into the details.
1. Shah Rukh Khan
Well, this name doesn’t need any introduction. You must have heard or seen him everywhere ranging from films, commercials, sports leagues, etc.
Despite ruling the film industry, he has a successful career in entrepreneurship (business) too.
Here is the detailed information about Shah Rukh Khan’s businesses-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Red Chillies Entertainment | Production House | Produced films like- Om Shanti Om, My Name is Khan, Chennai Express, Dunku, Darlings, etc. |
Kolkata Knight Riders | IPL Team | Along with Juhi Chawla (actress), Jay Mehta |
KidZania | Indoor Theme Park- Indian Franchise | 26% Stake |
SRK Boulevard | Real Estate Development in Dubai | Includes specially designed studios, 1 & 2 BHK apartments, townhouses, beachfront features, boardwalks, Marine sports, and Leisure facilities. |
These business ventures make him look more like a businessman than an actor… Isn’t it? However, it is a fact that his business ventures are as successful as his acting career in the Bollywood Film industry.
2. Ajay Devgan
A few years back, you must have heard a famous statement given by Ajay Devgan in Kapil Sharma’s Show “Apne production mein, main vanity van use hi nahi karta” (meaning- I don’t use vanity van in my own production house).
His fans were impressed by this strategic business mind to gain profits without indulging in any unnecessary expenditures. Some criticized him for being mingy and close-fisted in terms of money.
Coming to our point of discussion. Let’s have a look at his business ventures-
Companies Owned | Type of Ventures | Details |
Ajay Devgn Films | Production House | Produced Films like- All the Best, Raju Chacha, U, me aur Hum, etc. |
NYVFXWAALA | Visual Effects Company | Added VFX effects in films like Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Tamasha, Dilwale, Force 2, Simmba |
Charanka Solar Project | Gujarat’s 25 MW Solar Project | Owns a stake in this solar power plant with an electricity generation capacity of 36,330 MWh |
Thus, he established numerous companies that serve as good income streams.
3. Suniel Shetty
This Bollywood actor is more famous for his businesses than movies. Reason? Due to a long list of successful businesses-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Popcorn Motion Pictures | Production House | Produced films- Khel, Rakt, Bhagam Bhag, etc. |
Club H20 | Eateries | An upgraded version for the people with cafe and water sports in the same location. |
Mischief Dining Bar | Diner | The Veg restaurant and Bar closed in 2010 and re-emerged as a “Little Italy” restaurant. |
Mischief Boutique | Clothing Boutique | Emphasis on clean cuts, use of unconventional colors, accessorizing, and overall aesthetic style |
Apart from these businesses, Suniel Shetty has also invested in The Biohacker, Klassroom Edutech, and Vieroots Wellness.
4. Salman Khan
Not only did his films throw a box office hit but also entered the Rs.100 crore club. Also, he earns a huge chunk of money through various business ventures such as-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Salman Khan Films | Production House | Produced Films like- Chillar Party, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Race 3, Dabangg 3, Farrey, etc. |
Being Human | Clothing Brand | It was established to support the “Salman Khan Foundation”. This brand has over 90 stores in India |
Being Strong | Fitness Equipment | It offers the best quality workout equipment like X-Tend, Dumbbells, Weight Pallets, and Barbells. |
SK-27 | Gym | It is a unisex gym famous for yoga classes, Zumba classes, aerobic classes, and dance classes and has well-trained fitness experts. |
FRSH | Personal Care Brand | Launched in 2022, it includes hand sanitizers, deodorants, body wipes, and perfumes |
Salman Khan has invested heavily in real estate too. You see, he owns multiple homes and commercial buildings in Mumbai whose rent cost is a minimum of Rs.1 crore per month.
5. Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor, one of the famous Bollywood actors known for “aging like a wine” is known for his entrepreneurial ventures too-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Anil Kapoor Film Company | Production House | Produced movies like- Crew, Veere Di Wedding, Thankyou for Coming, No Problem, Aisha, etc. |
Mumbai City Football Club | Football team of the Indian Super League (ISL) | Its market value of Rs.424 million |
Antila Ventures | Media and Entertainment Company | A global entertainment company domiciled in the UK |
These companies and ventures serve as a crucial income source for the actor.
6. Sonu Sood
Most of us are aware of the charity work of Sonu Sood during the lockdown period of the Covid-19 pandemic. All thanks to his charity foundation which played a key role in it. Apart from that, the actor is known for successful businesses including the following-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Shakti Sagar Productions | Production House | Produced films like Bahubali 2- The Conclusion, Gadar 2- The Katha Continues |
Explurger | Social Media app for travelers | It is built on artificial intelligence and acts as an Automatic Travelogue |
Sood Charity Foundation | NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) | Played a key role during Pandemic- Safe travel for migrant workers during Covid-19 |
7. Amitabh Bachchan
Do you know the net worth of Amitabh Bachchan in 2023 was Rs.3,190 crore? That sounds like too big amount for an actor. Here comes a twist- his prime source of earning is not just acting. He earns through numerous ventures like-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture | Details |
Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd | Production House | Produced films- Gulabi, Tere Mere Sapne, Sarkar 3, Bihir, Paa, etc. |
Singapore Slammers | Tennis Team in IPTL (International Premier Tennis League) | Co-Owner along with UD Group (a local company that acquired Singapore Slammers earlier) |
IPCA Laboratories | Pharma Manufacturing Company | A leading pharma manufacturer with market cap of Rs.28,000 crore |
Apart from these, he has multiple sprawling properties, endorsement fees, and numerous real estate investments.
8. John Abraham
John Abraham is famous for making a wide range of investments and businesses across various sectors. Some of the prominent ones are sports, fitness, lifestyle, etc. Here are the companies that describe the entrepreneurial spirit of John Abraham-
Companies Owned | Type of Venture |
Northeast United | Soccer Team |
Delhi Waveriders | A Team in Indian Hockey |
John Abraham Seduction | Perfume Brand |
Pure Wonder Abraham | Vodka Brand |
Did I miss any Bollywood actor famous for his entrepreneurship (business)?
Yes… you may say! To be honest there is a long list of Bollywood actors who are successful businessmen too and that list can’t be covered in a single article. Hence we have covered only the top 8… If you have some other names in your mind that you feel are worth mentioning, then please share them in the comment section below…
Thanks for reading!
Yeah, with these actors, Akshay Kumar is also a great entrepreneur.