MAM
Stars Still Shine, But the Spotlight Flickers on Celebrity TV Ads
MUMBAI: If television advertising were a red carpet, Hindi movies still stole the show in 2025 but the crowd was thinner than before. Celebrity endorsements continued to command attention on Indian television last year, accounting for 27 per cent of all ad volumes, even as overall celebrity-led advertising saw a dip compared to previous years, according to the latest TAM AdEx Celebrity Endorsement Report 2025
Film stars remained the undisputed face of brand storytelling, contributing a hefty 73 per cent of celebrity ad volumes. Male film actors alone dominated 43 per cent of endorsements, while film actresses added another 29 per cent. Sports personalities followed at 20 per cent, underlining cricket’s enduring pull on advertisers, while TV actors and actresses together made up the remaining single-digit share.
Despite their prominence, celebrity-led advertising volumes declined in 2025 after a modest three per cent rise in 2024, suggesting that brands are becoming more selective about when and how they deploy star power. The year followed a familiar rhythm: ad volumes peaked during March, May and September, with the April–June quarter emerging as the busiest period, driven largely by the IPL effect.
Sector-wise, celebrity endorsements clustered heavily around everyday consumption. Food and beverages topped the charts with a 24 per cent share, followed by personal care and hygiene at 16 per cent and household products at 10 per cent. Together, the top three sectors accounted for nearly half of all celebrity-endorsed ads, while the top seven sectors contributed 79 per cent of total volumes.
Gender patterns remained sharply defined. Male celebrities dominated food and beverage advertising, accounting for 64 per cent of endorsements in the category, while women led personal care and hygiene campaigns with a 61 per cent share, a divide that continues to shape casting choices in television advertising.
Among categories, toilet and floor cleaners emerged as the most celebrity-heavy, contributing nine per cent of ad volumes, ahead of toilet soaps, washing powders and aerated soft drinks. Meanwhile, e-commerce gaming attracted the widest pool of celebrity endorsers, with 41 stars lending their faces to brands in the category.
When it came to sheer visibility, Shah Rukh Khan towered over the field, clocking nearly 30 hours of average daily presence on television and claiming 10 per cent of total celebrity ad share. MS Dhoni followed with around 20 hours a day, while Ranveer Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and a handful of others rounded out the top ten, a list notably dominated by men.
Dhoni also emerged as the most prolific endorser, fronting 59 brands in 2025, up from 52 the previous year. Celebrity couples continued to be a force multiplier, with four power pairs including Ranbir Kapoor–Alia Bhatt and Anushka Sharma–Virat Kohli accounting for half of all couple-led endorsements.
The takeaway from 2025 is clear, while celebrity appeal still drives recall and scale on television, brands are no longer betting blindly on fame alone. Star power remains potent but in a cluttered, cost-conscious market, it is being deployed with sharper intent and tighter focus than before.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
