You know the times have changed when the richest men in art and sport come not from boardrooms but from screens and stadiums. Shah Rukh Khan and Cristiano Ronaldo, one flashing dimples and the other sculpted abs, have reached the same dazzling summit. They have joined the billionaires' club, not by birthright but by their brilliance and relentless hard work.
Khan from Delhi’s modest Chandni Chowk bylanes and Ronaldo from impoverished Madeira shores, and yet each built an empire that transcended their craft. SRK, the boy who once lived in penury in Mumbai, is now India’s first dollar-billionaire artist, with an estimated $1.4 billion to his name, according to the Hurun India Rich List 2025. Ronaldo has also crossed that mark. His empire stretches from the pitch to perfume lines, hotels and fitness apps, and he is also the most-followed Instagram account on the planet.
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Both men started with talent, yes. But talent alone doesn’t explain billions. What they share is a near-religious devotion to reinvention. Both are excellent at marketing themselves. They are both in touch with the time. They are global icons because of their ambition. Years ago, this reporter asked SRK why he was endorsing nearly any product under the sun.
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