THR India's Screen Royalty: Top 10 Indian Movie Stars on Social Media

ELIGIBILITY & METHODOLOGY

The eligibility criteria for this list are consistent with those applied across our film rankings. An actor must have taken on a lead role in at least five Indian theatrical films over their career, with at least one release since January 2020 earning a gross box office of ₹50 crore or more.

All candidates were also required to be 50 years of age or younger as of 31 March 2026.

The ranking is determined purely by social media reach. For each eligible actor, we identified the single platform on which they command their largest following, and it is that figure — recorded as of 31 March 2026 — that decides their place on the list.

The 10 actors with the highest follower counts by this measure form the final 10.

Alia Bhatt

Anything Alia Bhatt does tends to ripple across the internet. One of the most closely watched celebrity Instagram feeds, hers carries a soft, consistent note: love. The grid feels like a carefully kept scrapbook, featuring moments with superstar husband Ranbir Kapoor (rare sightings, given his absence from social media), glimpses of their daughter and slices of a life both starry and grounded.

There are films, magazine covers and throwbacks, but also inside jokes and unguarded family frames on her feed.

Bhatt keeps her captions simple, direct and lightly playful, never trying too hard, always landing the tone. It’s a page that mirrors her persona that we know of: Warm, self-aware and magnetic.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone, on social media, has built a distinctive presence, one that feels controlled but never impersonal. Across her profiles, the actor mixes fashion shoots, film promotions, and brand partnerships with lighter moments from her family, travel and internal life. Her captions are typically spare and playful. 

Padukone also uses her vast reach to speak about a range of issues including mental health, a cause she has supported over the years through her foundation. These posts appear without fanfare, folded into the flow of her feed.

She remains among the most-followed Indian actors online, keeping fans updated about her films, such as the upcoming sci-fantasy outing Raaka with Allu Arjun.

Disha Patani

Disha Patani, known for her roles in the films M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, Baaghi 2, Malang, and Ek Villain Returns, has a visually driven presence on social media. Her feed reflects a restrained voice, where the pictures do all the talking. Beyond film promotions, brand collaborations and fashion shoots, the actress shares with her followers her commitment to athleticism through weightlifting and kickboxing videos and her well-documented passion for dance.

Glimpses of travel, snippets from home and appearances by her beloved pets often make it to her feed, allowing followers to see a more relaxed and relatable side of her personality.

Jacqueline Fernandez

Jacqueline Fernandez’s social media game is defined by energy. The actor posts fitness videos and dance rehearsals, fashion shoots and family moments, ensuring a steady stream of content.

Fernandez regularly includes brand partnerships in her feed, across beauty, wellness and lifestyle categories. She also highlights her work, from song releases and film promotions to stage appearances. What regularly comes through in her posts is her spirited, outgoing persona. Her tone is hearty and upbeat, with an emphasis on movement, laughter, and interaction.

Kartik Aaryan

There’s little debate that Kartik Aaryan is among the most popular young male stars of his generation. An actor who began as a messiah for millennial boyfriends has since found a devoted Gen Z following. From his breakout in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama films to the blockbuster Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and the revival of the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise, his choices have consistently mirrored the tastes of his audience.

That connection extends seamlessly to Instagram, where Aaryan keeps things breezy and accessible, sharing glimpses of a life steadily scaling up, yet rooted in the simplicity that made him a heartthrob to begin with.

Katrina Kaif

Of all the stars, Katrina Kaif has perhaps the most personal-feeling social media. Her posts reflect the rhythms of her everyday life — nature trails, candid moments from sets, travel diaries and a customary annual Christmas post with family and friends. Across her feed, there’s a noticeable ease to the way she shares her world. 

A recurring theme is her warm, affectionate glimpses of life with husband Vicky Kaushal. The couple announced the birth of their first child, a boy named Vihaan, on social media last year. Between her journalling of life, Kaif weaves in her professional posts — particularly around her beauty brand Kay Beauty — without disrupting the intimacy. 

Kriti Sanon

With Kriti Sanon’s ’gram, what you see is what you get. The actress, who balances a successful film career alongside her entrepreneurial ventures, keeps things refreshingly real on social media.

She gently lets her followers in on her various interests, which range from travelling for both leisure and work and regular gym sessions, to her love for skincare, and even the quiet charm of everyday moments, often showing fans a real piece of her personality through constant and mindful engagement.

A big part of Sanon’s interactions on social media is through a fierce expression of love for her family and friends. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Global star Priyanka Chopra Jonas has the rare ability to set the internet alight — each post a headline, each update a moment. She brings a refreshing candour to Instagram, unafraid to let the gloss slip and the real seep in.

Her feed strikes an enviable balance between the professional and the personal: Premieres and projects sit comfortably alongside glimpses of life with her pop star husband Nick Jonas and their daughter. From vacations and movie nights to playful dances and reflective musings, Chopra Jonas offers access as well as a sense of presence, an intimate window into a global star who still feels remarkably human.

Rashmika Mandanna

Rashmika Mandanna’s recent photo with husband and fellow actor Vijay Deverakonda from their wedding broke the internet for all the right reasons. At the time of going to press, it had become the most-liked Instagram post in Asia — a testament to Mandanna’s immense popularity on social media.

Mandanna’s content is warm, relatable and unabashedly fan-first in its appeal. Through social media, the actress offers fans a glimpse of her real personality, often embracing a playful, goofy side. This can be through smiling selfies, behind-the-scenes candid shots, travel diaries and simple heart gesture poses.

Shraddha Kapoor

Shraddha Kapoor has mastered the art of being a star who still feels like the girl-next-door. Her Instagram is less a curated feed and more an easy extension of a persona she has built over a decade — warm, unfiltered and disarmingly relatable.

Among the most-followed Indian celebrities on the platform, she keeps her tone conversational and her humour intact. Even brand posts carry a playful note. One features her father, veteran actor Shakti Kapoor, cheekily reviving an old film moment on rising gold prices. Her captions are where her charm peaks — whether joking about “blocking” those who don’t like sunlight, or light-heartedly commenting on a power-suited photoshoot with mock boardroom swagger.