Actors Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt are IMDb’s Most Popular Indian Stars of 2023, making for a classic mix of Bollywood vintage and the new guard at the very top of the list that has been prepared on the basis of worldwide page views.
Shah Rukh’s annus mirabilis, Alia’s consistency
Riding on the gargantuan success of his 2023 actioners Pathaan and Jawan, Shah Rukh tops the IMDb list, released on November 22, to be recognised as the most popular star of the year. He is expected to end the year on a high note with Dunki — the Bollywood star’s first collaboration with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani.
Alia, who secured the No. 2 spot on the list for the second consecutive year, showcased her versatility with Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and her Hollywood debut Heart of Stone. She has earned rave reviews for her performance in both films, cementing her reputation as one of the versatile actresses from the current crop of stars.
Deepika Padukone bags No. 3 position
Deepika Padukone started the year by setting screens ablaze with her performance in Pathaan as the ISI agent Rubina Mohsin. Her onscreen chemistry with Shah Rukh grabbed eyeballs all over, prompting filmmaker Atlee to offer her an extended cameo in Shah Rukh’s next project Jawan. Deepika played a crucial part in the film and her role stands out even in the crowd of other big names like Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi.
Wamiqa Gabbi debuts on IMDb list
Wamiqa Gabbi made her debut on the IMDb Most Popular Indian Stars list at the fourth position. She, too, had a standout year with three web series — Jubilee, Modern Love Chennai, and Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley — and Vishal Bharadwaj’s direct-to-streaming movie Khufiya. Apart from these, she also starred in the Punjabi film Kali Jotta.
Nayanthara
Nayanthara, who made her Hindi film debut in Jawan alongside Shah Rukh, showcased her versatility with roles in both action sequences and romantic songs. Her presence on social media also made headlines as she gained 1.4 million followers on Instagram within a day, setting a new record for the fastest Indian female actor to reach a million followers.
The other achievers
Tamannaah Bhatia, who is in the sixth spot on the IMDb list, enjoyed a prolific year. She starred in a string of web series Lust Stories 2, Jee Karda and Aakhri Sach. She also had theatrical releases with Bandra and Bholaa Shankar. Her song Kaavaalaa from Jailer went on to become a social media sensation. On the personal front, Tamannaah started dating her Lust Stories 2 co-star Vijay Varma, grabbing the news headlines for quite some time.
Kareena Kapoor Khan, who made a successful OTT debut with Netflix’s Jaane Jaan, was placed at No. 7 on the list, while Sobhita Dhulipala bagged the No.8 position for her impressive performance in Prime Video show Made in Heaven Season 2 and The Night Manager on Disney+ Hotstar.
Akshay Kumar, whose OMG 2 had a decent run at the box office, made it to the ninth spot. Vijay Sethupathi, who showcased his versatility by playing a cop in Prime Video web series Farzi and portraying the antagonist in Jawan, was placed at the 10th position.