Actor Ranbir Kapoor, alongside Google SEO Sundar Pichai and chef Vikas Khanna are the sole Indian representatives in TIME 100 Most Influential People list for 2026. While diaspora leaders such as Zohran Mamdani and Neal Mohan have also been featured.
The list is known to feature the most prominent pioneers, leaders, titans, artists, innovators, and icons across industries spanning from actors, politicians, chefs to those contributing to AI, Health industry as well as Philanthropy.
Sam Jacobs, the Editor-in-Chief of Time has explained how the process to select the 100 individuals is a long drawn and intricate one, “Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them. Some are well known to many, others only within their fields. To find them, we poll our editors, reporters, and sources around the world, and review the recommendations that are sent to us every day.” The TIME100 Sports list is set to release in June.
Ayushmann Khurrana, last seen in Thamma - and featured in the TIME 100 list in 2020 - wrote a tribute for Kapoor, expressing how he effectively shows Indian culture through quiet restraint.
“He represents the India that is finally learning how to listen to itself and leaves a mark through simple authenticity. Globally, actors like Ranbir become important cultural bridges. He embodies an India that is evolving not just in scale but also in sensitivity. Our cinema is influencing the world. Ranbir isn’t just a movie star—he’s a storyteller talking to a global audience and telling them stories of a fabled, mythical country where epics like The Ramayana have inspired other civilizations and cultures.”
Kapoor, who previously headlined Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, will be sporting the role of Lord Rama in the upcoming Ramayana. The Nitesh Tiwari directorial also has a brand new collaboration with Oscar winning artists, A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer working on the music. Apart from Kapoor, the film has several prominent artists like Yash, Sai Pallavi, and Sunny Deol.