Safe to say, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is not just an icon but is also a massive financial entity. His recent inclusion in the prestigious Hurun India Rich List 2025 confirms this, placing his estimated net worth at a staggering USD 1.4 billion. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee ignited a major debate on social media, specifically on X (formerly Twitter), by directly addressing Khan’s continuous promotion of certain paan masala products.
Dhruv Rathee challenges SRK on endorsements
In a widely shared video, Rathee questioned the logic behind one of the world’s wealthiest actors who has lent his name and image to products that have been controversially linked to oral cancer risks.Furthermore, Rathee argued that given Khan’s massive financial portfolio, the annual income generated from these specific endorsement deals would be a mere fraction of the passive income generated by his USD 1.4 billion in assets. He suggested that Shah Rukh Khan’s substantial wealth already provides him with more than enough liquidity and financial freedom to terminate such contracts.Rathee begins the video saying, “Shah Rukh Khan ab ek billionaire bann chuke hain. Sahi suna apne. Kai news reports ne anusar, unki net worth 1.4 billion dollars pohonch chuki hai. Yani ke kai saare Hollywood actors jaise ki Tom Cruise se bhi jyada ameer. Rupayo mein kaha jaye to ye kareeb 12 hazar chaar sau crore rupaya hota hai. Jante ho kitna paisa hai ye? Isey imagine kar pana bhi muskhil hai. Agar tine paise ko sirf bank mein bhi rakha gaya to, ek nominal 7% ke interest ke saath, ye saal ke 870 crore rupaya hota hai, sirf interest mein. Kareeb chalees percent tax kaat do to bachte hain to bachte hain saal ke lagbhag 500 crore rupaye. Kya kiya ja sakta hai 500 crore rupaye mein?” (Shah Rukh Khan has now become a billionaire. You heard that right. According to many news reports, his net worth has reached 1.4 billion dollars. Meaning he is richer than many Hollywood actors, such as Tom Cruise. If expressed in rupees, this amounts to approximately 12 thousand four hundred crore rupees. Do you know how much money this is? It’s difficult to even imagine it. If this money were just kept in a bank, with a nominal 7% interest rate, it would amount to 870 crore rupees annually, just in interest. If you deduct about forty percent tax, approximately 500 crore rupees are left annually. What can be done with 500 crore rupees? In this situation, my question to Shah Rukh Khan is: Isn’t this much money enough? If it is enough, then what compulsion is there that you are still promoting a harmful product like paan masala?)Rahee contiues, “Aise mein mera Shah Rukh Khan se sawal ye hai: kya itne paise kaafi nahi hain kya? Agar kaafi hain, to kya majboori padi ki paan masala Jaisi hanikarak cheez ko aap abhi bhi promote kar rahe ho?” (In this situation, my question to Shah Rukh Khan is: Isn’t this much money enough? If it is enough, then what compulsion is there that you are still promoting a harmful product like paan masala?)Referring to our (Etimes) 2014 article, Rathee further asks, “Aap ko paan masala promote karne ke, saal ke 10 se 20 crore rupaye mil rahe they uss time par. Maan lete hain, aaj 2025 mein ye paan masala wali companies aapko das guna jyada, 100-200 crore rupaye pay kar rahi hain. Lekin sawal ye hai ki, kya aapko inn extra 100-200 crore rupayon ke sahi mein jarurat bhi hai? Sahi mein apne andar jhaak kar, apne aap se honestly ye sawal pucho: kya kijiyega itni dhan rashi ka? Aur dusri taraf sochkar dekho, dekh ka top actor agar ye hanikarak cheezein promote karna bandh kar dega to kya impact padega desh pe?” (You were getting 10 to 20 crore rupees annually at that time to promote paan masala. Let’s assume that today, in 2025, these paan masala companies are paying you ten times more, 100-200 crore rupees. But the question is, do you really even need this extra 100-200 crore rupees? Truly, look inside yourself and ask yourself this question honestly: What will you do with such a huge amount of wealth? And on the other side, just think, what impact will it have on the country if the nation’s top actor stops promoting these harmful things?)
Shah Rukh Khan’s financial portfolio
For starters, Shah Rukh Khan’s immense wealth has been built on a diversified empire. For starters, it includes his production house, Red Chillies Entertainment. Secondly, it also includes his stake in the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Thirdly, it includes numerous high-profile brand endorsements. However, this financial success has recently brought renewed scrutiny from public figures regarding his choice of endorsements.
Response to Dhruv Rathee’s video across social media platforms
The video instantly polarized social media. Critics of the actor agreed with Rathee, calling for Khan—who is often seen as a moral figure—to use his influence responsibly by distancing himself from health-risk products. They pointed to the detrimental public health message sent by the country’s biggest star.Conversely, some netizens were quick to push back, offering several counterarguments. Many cited the complexities of existing endorsement contracts and legal agreements that make immediate termination difficult. Others brought up regulatory issues, noting that as long as these products are legally permitted to advertise, actors are merely operating within the existing legal framework. Furthermore, some suggested that while the net worth is high, the actual liquidity (cash readily available) might not be as straightforward as Rathee has implied.
