India is home to some of the world’s most famous celebrities, but what many people don’t realise is that these stars are also savvy businesspeople. These Bollywood celebrities have begun increasingly using their fame to launch their own brands and businesses. Apart from the more traditional forays into clothing lines or real estate, many celebs are also investing in virtual assets.
The virtual asset landscape in India
Cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (better known as NFTs) are some of the most popular virtual assets that have gained significant traction in India over the past few years. This has been driven by factors such as increasing internet penetration, the rise of smart devices, and a growing interest in financial markets among the general public.
The proliferation of trading tools such as MetaTrader 5 has also helped make trading in virtual assets much more accessible across the board. With features such as advanced charts and timeframes, as well as indicators and analytical object tools, this multi-asset platform is optimal for trading various assets, including notoriously volatile ones like crypto. The Indian Times reports that online brokerages are also helping make virtual assets more accessible by allowing users to easily buy and sell with professional guidance.
Given all this, it’s unsurprising that nearly 15% of all adults in India have invested in virtual assets. Of course, this includes the following celebrities, whose impressive investments are sure only to boost their fabulous lifestyles.
Amitabh Bachchan
credit: @amitabhbachchan
With a film career spanning more than five decades, Amitabh Bachchan has starred in over 200 films, the most prominent ones being Sholay, Agneepath, and Deewaar. He is also known as a film producer, television host, and former politician. His first NFT release is a recording of his father’s iconic poem ‘Madhushala’, recited in his own voice. Aside from this, he also released a collection on the NFT marketplace BeyondLifeClub, featuring autographed posters of his most well-known films, which sold for 71,800,000 rupees (862,445 USD). On top of all this, the actor is currently raising awareness regarding cryptocurrency by being a brand ambassador of the Indian crypto company CoinDCX.
Salman Khan
credit: @beingsalmankhan
Known recently for hosting the long-running Indian reality show franchise Bigg Boss, Salman Khan is also an impressive producer, writer, actor, television personality, and is even a two-time National Film Awardee. He released his own initial NFT line in conjunction with Atul Agnihotri’s Bollywood NFT platform called ‘Bollycoin’, a platform providing digital collectables for Bollywood enthusiasts worldwide. The actor also released India’s first-ever crypto token called ‘$GARI’ through the video app Chingari and became the brand’s ambassador for the token reward program. Later on, he released a second NFT collection with more than 200 items featuring depictions from over 40 of his films. Recently, he even partnered his agency, Salman Khan Films, with Bollycoin.
Kamal Haasan
credit: @ikamalhaasan
Being one of the most iconic stars in Bollywood entertainment, Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, and television presenter Kamal Haasan announced his participation in the metaverse and NFT business by partnering with the well-known NFT platform Frantico. The actor announced to his fans how he plans to create his very own virtual persona in the metaverse. He also announced the future auction of various cinematic artefacts and memorabilia from his popular films in the form of NFTs.
Sunny Leone
credit: @sunnyleone
Actress and model Karenjit “Karen” Kaur Vohra, more commonly known by her stage name Sunny Leone, was the first Indian Bollywood actress to release her own NFT collection. She claimed that “crypto is the future of the world” and that NFTs give her an opportunity to express herself using art. With the help of Silicon Valley business Mintdropz, the model was able to create an NFT website to release her collection entitled ‘Misfitz’. The collection contained a series of hand-animated art featuring varied aesthetics, bright themes and loud letters. The majority of her 9,600 NFTs were sold within hours of the auction.
Rajinikanth
credit: @rajinikanth
Indian actor Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, professionally known as Rajnikanth, has been a part of the film industry for over five decades. Since then, he has done nearly 170 films, the most popular ones being 2.0, Jailer, and Kabali. The actor added to his already impressive portfolio by releasing a series of movie collectables inspired by his popular Tamil action film Shivaji, The Boss. His collection was released on the NFT marketplace Diginoor, and the items ranged from 7,300 rupees to 125,000 rupees (88 USD to 1,500 USD)—all of which were sold in under a single day.
Vishal Malhotra
credit: @vishalmalhotra_actor
Well-known for being on multiple Disney television programs such as Disney Hour and Disney Time, Vishal Malhotra is a popular television host and actor. He is also the first Indian actor to collaborate with an artist to release an NFT. Artist Ishita Banerjee created an animated art piece layered with the actor’s voice, depicting his 25-plus years in Bollywood through various popular characters that he’s portrayed over the years. The artwork was sold for 413,000 rupees (4,960 USD) using cryptocurrency on the online art gallery WazirX. In addition, customers had the privilege to participate in a voice call with the actor.