Celebrity licensing surges by 15% in India amid rising demand for luxury homes

India’s luxury real estate is getting a glamorous upgrade — and it’s not just about marble floors and skyline views anymore. From Karan Johar’s cinematic touch to Hrithik Roshan’s fitness-driven branding, celebrities are no longer mere endorsers of housing projects. They’re becoming active co-creators of lifestyle-centric developments, signalling a powerful new phase in the country’s real estate narrative: celebrity licensing as an experiential branding tool.

Over the past 5 years, cities like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Bengaluru have seen a steady rise in celebrity-linked real estate projects. These aren’t just endorsements. They involve celebrities lending their names, design sensibilities, and personal brands to projects — helping developers craft a distinctive narrative and charge a premium.

“Karan Johar is not just lending his name — he’s scripting an entire design story,” said Sandeep Dahiya, founder of Branquila Brand Ventures. “What you see is a shift from passive promotion to active lifestyle creation.”

Dahiya cites that Johar's work with Lodha, was marketed as a “director’s cut” living experience — complete with themed interiors and cinematic aesthetics. Similarly, Similarly, Sussanne Khan and Gauri Khan have also extended their personal design aesthetics into real estate extensions — not just designing interiors, but co-creating brand value around luxury spaces."

Experts cite that the celebrity endorsement market in India is valued at approximately ₹2,434 crore, growing at a CAGR of 6.25%.

Dahiya said, “In India, the overall brand and celebrity licensing market has grown steadily at 12–15% annually, but the real estate-specific licensing subset has accelerated more sharply — thanks to increasing competition among developers, higher consumer appetite for “aspirational living,” and the rise of urban millennials willing to pay for aspiration. While five years ago there were maybe 1–2 examples a year, today, we’re seeing multiple collaborations across metros."

Mumbai's luxury housing market has notched up record-breaking numbers in the first half of 2025, with apartment sales priced above ₹10 crore rising by 11% year-on-year, according to a joint report by India Sotheby’s International Realty and CRE Matrix.

While according to a joint report by CBRE and ASSOCHAM nearly 7,000 luxury homes were sold across India’s top seven cities with Delhi-NCR emerging as the epicenter, accounting for a dominant 57% of total luxury sales, about 4,000 units, marking a threefold jump over last year.

This form of licensing differs significantly from the typical brand endorsement model. Instead of short-term appearances or advertising rights, licensing allows developers to integrate the celebrity’s persona into the very fabric of the project. Interiors are styled under the celebrity’s brand, marketing campaigns reflect their aesthetic, and often, the spaces themselves are co-designed to reflect their lifestyle choices.

Actress-turned-designer Twinkle Khanna lent her interior design brand ‘The White Window’ to Supertech’s Supernova in Noida, shaping not just living spaces but the project’s entire creative identity. Sussanne Khan’s design label ‘The Charcoal Project’ has collaborated with developers like Panchshil and Tribeca for projects including Trump Towers Pune and Yoo Pune, infusing them with a blend of minimalist luxury and Bollywood glamour.

The trend is not limited to actors. The sports world has also entered the fray. Virat Kohli has recently been associated with a premium villa development in Alibaug. Cricketer Yuvraj Singh partnered with M3M for a sports-centric residential township in Gurugram that includes a dedicated Yuvraj Singh Centre of Excellence. Meanwhile, fitness brand HRX, led by Hrithik Roshan, collaborated with Rustomjee to create branded fitness zones within residential complexes, merging fitness identity with housing amenities.

What’s clear is that the Indian real estate market is taking cues from international models — especially the United Arab Emirates. In Dubai, celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar have all been linked to marquee luxury developments such as The Palm Jumeirah. Bollywood’s soft power abroad has even seen actors like Kartik Aaryan serve as brand ambassadors for Danube Properties in the UAE.

Global lifestyle brands, too, are trying to make inroads through licensing. FashionTV, for instance, has extended its brand into real estate with FTV-branded residences in Noida, as well as clubs and cafés. Playboy has also attempted to rebrand itself through luxury clubs and lifestyle resorts, aiming to position its legacy brand in a more sophisticated, aspirational light.

Industry players say the surge in such partnerships is driven by consumer demand for more than just functional living. Buyers today — particularly in the urban millennial and HNI segments — are willing to pay a premium for homes that reflect a certain taste, status, or story. “It’s no longer just a home. It’s who you are,” said Dahiya. “Buyers want homes that align with their values and aspirations. And a well-aligned celebrity brings that narrative to life.”

However, the model is not without its pitfalls. Jiggy George, founder and CEO of licensing agency Dream Theatre, cautions that poor execution can damage both the developer’s reputation and the celebrity’s brand. “Licensing has many benefits beyond the obvious ones around revenue. In these cases, they support as a marketing multiplier - differentiating the offering from competitors, bringing more eyeballs and attention to the licensee’s format. Brands have personality, and this transference of the same to brick-and-mortar experience adds value. There is an impact on sales as it attracts consumers basis on the brand value and experience.”

“The challenge for the owner of the brand is to maintain the integrity and ensure that it does not get depleted over time. There have been various brands that have launched in the space and have not been able to sustain over a long period of time basis lack of control.”

Experts cite that despite these challenges, the momentum is unmistakable. With increasing competition in the luxury housing segment, more developers are expected to turn to celebrity collaborations — not just for branding, but to co-create entire experiences. Clubhouses designed by fashion icons, fitness amenities curated by athletes, and community spaces reflecting a celebrity’s lifestyle may soon become the norm rather than the novelty.

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