Women In Entertainment: The Power List 2026

The Hollywood Reporter India’s second Women in Entertainment Power List in partnership with De Beers celebrates exceptional women across the entertainment ecosystem.

From performers and creators to executives, technicians, leaders and decision-makers working across film, television, music, digital platforms, and new media, the list stars women — listed here in alphabetical order — who have either been trailblazers in male-dominated spaces, are building new pathways for other women, or are expanding opportunities for diverse, female voices.

Read More | Women In Entertainment Power List 2025

The following list is presented purely in alphabetical order, and does not constitute a ranking.

ADITI SHRIVASTAVA, CEO and co-founder, Pocket Aces

Aditi Shrivastava is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Pocket Aces, a digital entertainment company that has caught onto the millennial imagination, reaching 50 million people weekly via their various channels — FilterCopy, Dice Media, Gobble, and Loco. Recognising that young Indians were craving information, they began Nutshell, an infotainment channel where information is offered up in a snacky format. Prior to her stint in media entertainment, Shrivastava worked in angel investing, advising entrepreneurs, and worked as an investment banker in Goldman Sachs.

AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN, Actor

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s journey is the stuff of modern pop mythology — from winning the Miss World crown in 1994 to becoming one of India’s most recognisable faces across the globe. She entered films in the late ’90s and quickly set herself apart with performances that balanced beauty with bite, be it the intensity of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) or the almost operatic tragedy of Devdas (2002). Over the years, Bachchan has successfully crossed over to the West, representing India at Cannes for over two decades and working with international filmmakers, while remaining firmly rooted in Hindi cinema.

In recent years, the actor has been more selective with both her performances and her appearances. Her return to the big screen with Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films (2022–23) reminded audiences of her command as a performer, while in 2025, she once again dominated headlines at Cannes, when her ivory Banarasi sari look became one of the festival’s most talked-about sartorial moments — reminiscent of her iconic yellow sari debut in 2002.

Away from the camera, she balances motherhood, family life and global ambassadorships. She's no longer chasing the spotlight but remains one of Bollywood's most enduring stars to date.

ALIA BHATT, Actor, producer

Alia Bhatt’s rise has been swift, strategic and anything but accidental. Debuting as a teenager in Student of the Year (2012), she quickly shed the tag of being just a filmmaker’s daughter with performances that grew sharper by the year — from the vulnerable kidnapping survivor in Highway (2014) to the fiery freedom fighter in Raazi (2018). By the time she won the National Award for Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), Bhatt had firmly established herself as one of Hindi cinema’s most reliable leading women.

The last few years have only expanded her canvas. In 2023, she made her Hollywood debut with the Netflix movie Heart of Stone, sharing screen space with Gal Gadot, while closer home, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani proved her enduring box-office pull. Bhatt has also stepped into entrepreneurship with Eternal Sunshine Productions, backing intimate, women-led stories — including the gritty prison drama Jigra (2024), which she also headlined.

In 2026, she continues to juggle acting, producing and global brand ambassadorships, representing a new-age star — one who is ambitious, versatile and entirely in control of her narrative.

ANANYA PANDAY, Actor

Ananya Panday is very much a product of the moment — Gen-Z in spirit, social-media fluent, and keenly aware of how stardom works today. Making her debut with Student of the Year 2 (2019), she entered Bollywood under intense scrutiny but has steadily worked at reshaping her image through smarter choices and visible growth as a performer.  

Early commercial outings like Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) established her mainstream appeal, but it was her willingness to lean into vulnerability that marked a turning point.

In recent years, Panday has found her footing with more layered, youth-centric roles. Her turn as a conflicted influencer in Gehraiyaan (2022) earned her a Filmfare Award and positioned her as an actor unafraid of messy, morally grey characters. She followed this up with the coming-of-age drama Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023), which tapped directly into Gen-Z anxieties around friendship, ambition and online validation — themes that mirror her own public persona. 

Relatable, self-aware and constantly evolving, she embodies a new kind of Bollywood star — one shaped as much by Instagram and internet discourse as by the movies themselves.

ANAITA SHROFF ADAJANIA, Fashion stylist, costume designer

If celebrity styling in India is now an industry, Anaita Shroff Adajania is among the architects who formalised it. With a foundation in fashion journalism — first at Elle and later as fashion director at Vogue India — she brought editorial discipline and narrative thinking to an ecosystem once driven largely by costume design. Over the years, her work has defined some of Hindi cinema’s most memorable moments, from Dhoom 2 (2006) to Cocktail (2012). On international platforms, she has guided Indian actors such as Kiara Advani and businesswomen such as Isha Ambani through the grammar of the Met Gala and Cannes. Known for her killer instinct rather than noise, she remains a stylist’s stylist — shaping not just how celebrities dress, but how contemporary Indian fashion presents itself to the world.

APARNA PUROHIT, Film producer

Aparna Purohit is shaping a new phase for Aamir Khan Productions (AKP) as its chief executive officer where she oversees both creative direction and long-term strategy. Known for her instinct for culturally resonant stories, she now leads the studio’s development at a time of renewed ambition.

Her influence on India’s streaming boom remains significant. During her storied tenure at Amazon Prime Video, she championed bold originals that redefined long-form storytelling. Series such as Mirzapur, The Family Man, Made in Heaven, and Paatal Lok expanded the audience for premium Hindi and regional content. She pushed for layered writing, new creators and stronger female representation both on and off screen. In 2025, her leadership at AKP gained visibility with the success of Sitaare Zameen Par, which reinforced the studio’s focus on emotionally grounded, socially aware cinema. She also backed Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, adding to her expanding producer credits.

In 2026, Purohit is steering the company’s evolving slate, which includes the romantic drama Ek Din and the period drama Lahore 1947, along with other projects in early production. She has spoken about balancing theatrical storytelling with evolving audience habits with the need to back distinctive voices and build films that travel across languages and platforms.

ARCHANA KALPATHI, CEO, AGS Entertainment Network

As the chief executive officer (CEO) of the AGS Entertainment Network, Archana Kalpathi is one of the more prominent women in film production and distribution in South India. Her track record includes back-to-back blockbusters, such as Thani Oruvan (2015), Bigil (2019), and Love Today (2022).

Having ventured into production at the age of 23, Kalpathi has transformed her family business into a powerhouse, comprising film production, distribution and the operation of four theatres across locations in Chennai.

Kalpathi’s tenure has seen AGS work with some of the industry’s leading stars, including Vijay, Dhanush, Nayanthara and Ravi Mohan. She is also known for her keen eye for emerging talent, betting on newcomer Pradeep Ranganathan, which paid off handsomely, leading to some of Tamil cinema’s biggest hits in recent times: Love Today (2022), which has since been remade in Hindi as Loveyapa, and the 2025 college drama Dragon. Kalpathi represents a new generation of producers who combine business acumen with creative vision.

CHINMAYI SRIPADA, Singer

It's hard to imagine the modern Tamil film music landscape without Chinmayi Sripada, well-known known widely as just Chinmayi. The award-winning musician has sung over 250 songs in Tamil films since filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). She has since quickly established herself as a leading playback singer across Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema.

The singer and dubbing artiste is also one of the patrons of the #MeToo movement from south India. She called out a veteran Tamil poet and film lyricist as her molester in 2018, and supported women who accused a popular Tamil actor and the then-president of the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union. This eventually led to her ban from the union and also meant fewer songs and opportunities. But her fire hasn't stopped burning. Since then, she has publicly supported several women and related causes in various settings inside and outside the confines of the industry.

DEEPIKA PADUKONE, Actor, producer

Deepika Padukone is that rare icon, balancing her status as a box-office powerhouse with a reputation as one of India's finest performers. Following her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2008), Padukone swiftly established her reputation as a modern-day heroine, becoming an all-out force of nature in landscape-altering hits with directors such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Shoojit Sircar, Imtiaz Ali, Siddharth Anand, Ayan Mukerji, Rohit Shetty and Shakun Batra.

Her identity as an artiste has extended beyond language — with roles in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hollywood blockbusters — and beyond the screen as well, as an outspoken advocate for mental health. In the past year alone, she cemented her international legacy by earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first Indian actress to receive this honour. Padukone continues to expand her influence globally while remaining deeply rooted in Indian cinema, embodying a truly pan-Indian and international superstar.

EKTAA KAPOOR, Joint managing director, Balaji Telefilms

Imagine men, women and kids finishing their chores and assembling to sit in front of the television to watch...daily soaps. That’s the power of Ektaa Kapoor, the architect of modern Indian television. As the visionary behind Balaji Telefilms, she revolutionised the 2000s television landscape by pioneering the desi K- dramas; as several titles of her shows began with the same letter — Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kasautii Zindagii Kay, among others.

After tasting success with the sitcom Hum Paanch in 1995, Kapoor changed the grammar of television in the decade that followed with her productions that spoke about the traditional Indian family set-up. Today, Kapoor is as much a cinematic powerhouse as she is a television titan, producing gritty, acclaimed films such as Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010) and The Dirty Picture (2011), as well as more recent box-office successes like the 2024 heist comedy Crew. Kapoor remains a transformative force in Indian entertainment across both mediums.

FARAH KHAN, Director, choreographer

Farah Khan has spent over three decades shaping the grammar of mainstream Hindi cinema — through song, spectacle and sharp commercial instinct. Beginning as a self-taught choreographer in the early ’90s, she has brought her signature filmi flamboyance to some of Bollywood’s most iconic tracks. From hits like “Chaiyya Chaiyya” to “Sheila Ki Jawani,” her moves remain etched in our collective memory. Her transition to directing with Main Hoon Na (2004) was a milestone: a woman mounting a big-budget, male-led blockbuster on her own terms. She followed it up with Om Shanti Om (2007), a meta-Bollywood juggernaut that was equal parts love letter and satire, cementing her knack for marrying nostalgia with mass appeal. There is no doubt: Khan is pop culture, synonymous with the masala, scale and swagger that define modern Bollywood.

Beyond film sets, her presence on television and social media has kept her firmly embedded in the zeitgeist — loud, candid, and unapologetically herself.

GEETU MOHANDAS, Filmmaker

The multiple National Film Award-winning director of films Liar’s Dice and Mothoon is currently directing the biggest Indian film of the year — Yash’s Toxic. The pressure on her directing this mega-budget period vehicle is immensely high after the success of the two KGF films, but things under Mohandas look like they’re under control.

Apart from having to handle the fan following and accompanying expectations of a mass movie superstar, the pressure is also on to navigate and perhaps even change the messaging of this star vehicle.  The latter is something one would expect from Mohandas, who is among the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective in Kerala, an organisation that aimed to change the very perception of how women in cinema needed to be treated.

GUNEET MONGA KAPOOR, Producer

The word on the streets of Mumbai’s Aram Nagar is that, at any given moment, Guneet Monga Kapoor has either a film on the floors or one in the Academy conversation. One of the most influential voices in Indian cinema today, Monga Kapoor remains unstoppable as she continues to build Sikhya Entertainment — which she co-founded — into a globally recognised production banner. She puts her money where her mouth is, relentlessly backing bold Indian stories and pushing them onto the world stage.

Over the past decade, Monga Kapoor has been associated with some of Indian cinema’s most defining titles, including Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Masaan (2015) and Pagglait (2021). She also served as an executive producer on the documentary short Period. End of Sentence., which won an Academy Award in 2019. Four years later, she made history as the first Indian producer to win the Oscar for Best Documentary Short with The Elephant Whisperers.  

Beyond filmmaking, she leads Women in Film India, championing women and gender-diverse voices across the industry.

HUMA QURESHI, Actor, producer

In 2025, Huma Qureshi pulled off a rare feat — she was perhaps the only actor that year to turn producer, walk the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival, headline two streaming shows, and deliver two theatrical releases.  

It was the kind of year that placed Qureshi — long regarded as one of the country’s most acclaimed performers — squarely at the centre of the conversation, showcasing the full breadth of her ambition and craft.

Since her breakout debut in Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Qureshi has steadily built a career defined by risk and range, but 2025 felt like a culmination. With Delhi Crime Season 3, Maharani Season 4, her TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) selection Bayaan, Jolly LLB 3, and Single Salma — which found a strong afterlife on streaming following its theatrical run — she moved seamlessly between formats and genres.

Now, she is gearing up to kick off 2026 on a high note with Toxic, led by Yash, adding yet another scale shift to her evolving filmography.

JANHVI KAPOOR, Actor

In the eight years since her debut, Janhvi Kapoor has built a filmography that cuts across genres and expectations. She made a striking entry with Dhadak (2018), before moving swiftly through anthology horror (Ghost Stories, 2020), a war biopic (Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, 2020), the survival thriller Mili (2022), large-scale action with Devara: Part 1 (2024), romantic comedy Param Sundari (2025), and Homebound (2025), India’s official entry to the Oscars.

Over the years, Kapoor has steadily carved a space for herself by leaning into demanding, emotionally vulnerable roles and often choosing parts that require her to play on the front foot rather than coast on familiarity. Unafraid to take risks or stretch herself as a performer, she has emerged as one of the most compelling young actors in Hindi cinema today. With her next big-scale Telugu outing Peddi, headlined by Ram Charan, Kapoor’s trajectory is clearly on an upward curve.

JYOTI DESHPANDE, President, Jio Studios, producer

Jyoti Deshpande produced the critically acclaimed Laapataa Ladies (2023), directed by Kiran Rao — which was India's entry to the 2025 Oscars — as well as Dhurandhar (2025), directed by Aditya Dhar, last year's most commercially successful film.

Currently the president of Jio Studios, she has over three decades of experience in the media and entertainment business. She was previously the chief executive officer (CEO) of Viacom 18; the first woman CEO of a “Big 4” media company. She doesn't look at her role at promoting female content as a mere responsibility. As a studio head, she prefers the term “ownership”, actively seeking out stories with a purpose, with subjects that address women empowerment, sustainability, and more.

Apart from the above-mentioned films, she has also backed Stree 2 (2024), which stormed the box office earning ₹871 crores, without an A-list superstar at the helm or a hyper-masculine narrative.

JYOTIKA, Actor, Producer

There is very little Jyotika hasn’t done. Across a career spanning nearly three decades, the actor has worked seamlessly across four languages, delivering era-defining hits such as Kushi (2000), Kaakha Kaakha (2003) and Chandramukhi (2005), and quickly cementing her status as one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars. She remains a rare leading actor who has straddled the worlds of blockbuster commercial cinema and performance-driven roles with equal ease.

Following an almost decade-long hiatus, Jyotika made a resounding comeback in 2015, which saw her reinvent herself through compelling parts across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi cinema. In recent years, she has also expanded her creative footprint into film production with 2D Entertainment, the banner she runs alongside her husband. The company has backed a string of acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Soorarai Pottru (2020), Jai Bhim (2021), Meiyazhagan (2024) and Retro (2025). Jyotika continues to be a force in Indian cinema, balancing stardom with meaningful storytelling.

KAJOL, Actor

Few actors command the screen with the spontaneous energy of Kajol. A definitive icon since the ’90s, she has redefined the Hindi film heroine with her charm and unforgettable performances. Since her debut in Bekhudi (1992), Kajol has anchored cult classics such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Gupt (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), winning a record-tying five Filmfare Awards for Best Actress.

Known for her legendary partnership with actor Shah Rukh Khan, she is celebrated for her ability to pivot from bubbly romantic leads to darker, more complex roles such as the ones she portrayed in Dushman (1998) and Fanaa (2006). Her transition to the OTT space began with the nuanced family drama Tribhanga (2021) and accelerated with The Trial (2023-2025) and Do Patti (2024). With her move to gritty OTT performances, Kajol proves herself as a star of enduring relevance, seamlessly adapting to platforms while maintaining her signature intensity.

KALYANI PRIYADARSHAN, Actor

In just a few years, Kalyani Priyadarshan has risen from promising debutante to historic box-office force. Working across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema, she has firmly made her mark in cinema. After achieving early success in Varane Avashyamund (2020) — which won her the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut — and the blockbuster coming-of-age drama Hridayam (2022), she emerged as one of South Indian cinema’s most sought-after actors.

The year 2025 marked a seismic shift in her career with the superhero hit Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. Playing the titular mythology-inspired heroine, she shattered ceilings by delivering the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever and the first to cross ₹300 crores. The achievement cemented her as a “pan-Indian” star, with the film ranked among the highest-grossing Indian movies led by a female protagonist. Balancing box-office dominance with sensitive, versatile performances, Priyadarshan is clearly one to watch as Indian cinema evolves.

KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN, Actor, producer

Beyond the mathematics of hits and flops, Kareena Kapoor Khan has always been a star. Despite being one of the top-billed actors in the country, who has mostly acted in commercially mainstream films and gifted her fans cultural icons such as Poo from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and Geet from Jab We Met (2007), Kapoor Khan has also built her credibility with scripts and performances that were considered unconventional, even “bold”, especially in her early years in the industry.

From playing a sex worker in Chameli (2003), a young girl caught in communal crossfires in Dev (2004), to the short but memorable role as Dolly (or Desdemona) in Omkara (2006) — Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Othello — Kapoor Khan has never shied away from taking a risk or two. The actor — who co-owns Korean skincare brand Quench Botanics with Vineeta Singh, the chief executive officer of Sugar Cosmetics — has also been an advocate for body positivity. She has publicly spoken about not adhering to societal pressures to be a certain size, especially after being in the public eye during and after her pregnancy.

Through her talk show What Women Want, Kapoor Khan foregrounds the issues and experiences of women working in the largely male-dominated entertainment industry. Her upcoming film, Daayra, an investigative crime thriller with Prithviraj Sukumaran and Meghna Gulzar, is among the most anticipated films of 2026.

KATRINA KAIF, Actor

Her last release may have been early 2024’s Merry Christmas, but her cultural influence remains just as strong. Her beauty brand — Kay Beauty — is among the biggest success stories in how a celebrity was able to channel their personal brand into a thriving product line. Instead of pitching products away from the reach of her audience, she blended inclusivity, quality, and storytelling, focussing on real consumer needs, and especially catering to Indian skin tones and textures. Partnering with online beauty store Nykaa gave Kay Beauty the strongest distribution, credibility and marketing reach, right from the start.

Beyond cinema and brand-building, her cultural influence remains powerful— make note of the media frenzy that began when he chose to reveal the name of her son, Vihaan Kaushal. The post went viral, an understatement for the attention it garnered. Kaif continues to be one of Bollywood’s most enduring and influential stars.

KAVYA MARAN, CEO, Sunrisers Hyderabad

For a team that lacked the presence of a cricketing megastar like MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli, the face of T20 cricket team Sunrisers Hyderabad is now the team’s owner, Kavya Maran. Her animated reactions, her involvement in the team’s everyday operations, and her commitment to the team’s fan culture, haves made her a darling among cricket lovers of Hyderabad. She represents the next generation of leadership in Indian sports and business, combining strategy, visibility, and cultural influence.

In a space traditionally dominated by much older male industrialists, Maran stands out as a young woman in a high-profile leadership role. During the launch of the film Jailer, actor Rajinikanth himself joked about her presence and how he hoped their team would do better in the Indian Premier League (IPL), if only to see her cheer up; her team came achingly close in last year’s IPL, losing out to Royal Challengers Bangalore as they won their maiden title.

Outside of cricket, she is also a part of the Sun Group legacy, one of India’s largest media conglomerates spanning cricket, news, entertainment and cinema.

KIARA ADVANI, Actor

 Last year was a big one for Kiara Advani. Professionally, she headlined two major tentpoles — the Telugu political drama Game Changer and the much-anticipated War 2, co-starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR — while also embarking on a new chapter in her personal life as she welcomed motherhood. Through it all, Advani stayed firmly in the spotlight, reinforcing her position as one of India’s most sought-after actors.

A decade after she first caught the nation’s attention as Sakshi in M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), followed by the blockbuster Kabir Singh (2019), which cemented her popularity, Advani shows little sign of slowing down. Over the years, she has quietly and steadily shaped a career marked by range and instinct — taking on emotionally demanding roles in films like Shershaah (2021) and Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023), while also leaning into full-blown commercial entertainers such as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) and Govinda Naam Mera (2022). Up next, she has the high-profile Toxic, starring Yash, further expanding her already formidable slate.

KIRAN RAO, Filmmaker

Her importance in Indian cinema may not be linked to superstar wattage alone, but her name continues to be a mainstay on lists of the best Indian films of the year.  In 2024, her directorial debut, Laapataa Ladies, made it to every such list, including its entry as India’s film for the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. In 2025, her name shone through in two of the year’s most loved and respected films. One was Sitaare Zameen Par, an audience- favourite starring Aamir Khan, that also found a way to become a box-office draw. She also backed Humans in the Loop, another strong contender for the best Indian film of the year. As producer and executive producer, she remains one of the last remaining champions for people who still dream the indie film dream, consistently delivering both critical acclaim and meaningful commercial success.

KRITI SANON, Actor

An engineer turned star — that’s actor Kriti Sanon, who leapt from being a middle-class Delhi girl to a Bollywood actress within a decade. Starting with a Telugu action film alongside Mahesh Babu, 1: Nenokkadine (2014), Sanon switched to Bollywood the same year, debuting alongside actor Tiger Shroff in Heropanti.  The start was rocky, as her next two outings — Dilwale in 2015 and Raabta in 2017 — didn’t add much to her career. But the actor found her groove with the game-changing Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), which set her on an assured path; she then won a National Award for her portrayal of a surrogate mother in Mimi (2021).

Sanon had two hit films in 2024 (Crew, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya) and also turned producer with the Netflix thriller Do Patti. She kept the momentum going with Tere Ishk Mein, an intense romantic drama co-starring Dhanush, that became a box-office hit in 2025. Today, she is also a successful entrepreneur, having launched Hyphen, a skincare brand.

MONIKA SHERGILL, Vice president, content, Netflix

Monika Shergill started off as a journalist and documentary filmmaker and has since worked with big names in the entertainment landscape, such as Sony, Star India and Viacom18 in various roles. At Netflix, Shergill leads the development, creation and acquisition of Indian content, helping to diversify the slate and create a balance between originals and partnerships with leading production houses like Yash Raj Films and Excel Entertainment.  Some fan favourites to feature on Netflix during her tenure include The Railway Men (2023), Amar Singh Chamkila (2024), Heeramandi (2024) and, Black Warrant (2025).

Netflix India also hit gold with Aryan Khan’s The Ba***ds of Bollywood in 2025, making an indelible mark in the Indian cultural zeitgeist. Continuing its reign, Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web made history this January as the first Indian series to debut at the number one spot on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV List in its very first week of release. Reality shows such as The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and Dining with the Kapoors have found a place in the streaming line-up. Awards followed, with the docuseries The Elephant Whisperers winning an Oscar, and Homebound becoming India’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards.

MRINALINI JAIN, Group Chief Development Officer, Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India

For close to a decade, Mrinalini Jain has been one of the quiet forces shaping India’s streaming and television boom. As Group Chief Development Officer at Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, Jain operates at the centre of content strategy — overseeing the creation, adaptation and expansion of formats across fiction and non-fiction. From premium scripted remakes such as The Night Manager and The Trial to enduring reality juggernauts such as Khatron Ke Khiladi and MTV Roadies, her slate reflects both ambition and instinct. Jain has also helped forge key international partnerships, including multi-year collaborations with BBC Studios and other global players.

At the same time, she has championed original concepts and female-led narratives, widening the lens through which mainstream entertainment is imagined; walking among the architects defining what contemporary Indian audiences watch, stream and talk about.

NAYANTHARA, Actor

Nayanthara has redefined stardom for female actors in the industry. With a career spanning nearly two decades, she has anchored women-led films such aslike Maya (2015), Aramm (2017) and Kolamavu Kokila (2018) while also headlining blockbusters such as Raja Rani (2013), Bigil (2019) and Jawan (2023). She headlined Netflix production Test last year with Siddharth and Madhavan, and was part of Chiranjeevi's Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, a blockbuster Telugu release this year.

Beyond acting, she has ventured into production, co-founding Rowdy Pictures, which has backed offbeat projects, including like Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022) and Connect (2022). Known for fiercely guarding her privacy, Nayanthara rarely engages in public discourse, letting her performances speak for themselves. Her ability to balance mass appeal with meaningful roles has made her one of Indian cinema’s most influential stars. Her upcoming films include two high-profile productions: Yash's Toxic and Mammootty-Mohanlal's Patriot.

NAZRIYA NAZIM FAHADH, Actor, Producer, Singer

She averages under one film per year, but she remains one of the most powerful actresses in the business. Her last release in Malayalam as the protagonist (Sookshmadarshini, 2024) was a superhit, which she delivered after returning to the industry after a gap of four years. Her first Telugu film, titled Ante Sundaraniki (2022), is now considered a cult classic and her upcoming line-up includes high-profile films in Tamil (with Suriya) and Malayalam. She is just as formidable as a producer, having backed classics such as Kumbalangi Nights, Premalu, Aavesham and C U Soon. This high-quality filmography is a result of choosing to work only when it affects her deeply.

As someone who literally grew up in front of the camera, as a television host before she was even 10, she looks at acting as an expression of her real-life personality, arguably why she has always been this loved.

NITA AMBANI, Chairperson, JioStar

No power list is ever complete without Nita Ambani. A businesswoman and philanthropist, she has established herself as one of India’s most influential women leaders. As the founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Reliance Industries, Ambani has steered the non-profit organisation to remarkable impact and recognition. Under her leadership, the Foundation received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar in 2017 from the President of India for its efforts in promoting grassroots sports.

She continues to champion cultural, social, and educational progress with clarity and purpose. While the Ambani name is often associated with immense wealth and luxury, she has carved a distinct identity of her own. An avid art collector and the owner of the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, she has successfully blended business, philanthropy, and culture, establishing herself as a formidable force in Indian public life and a role model for aspiring leaders.

PAYAL KAPADIA, Writer, Director

Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia made waves at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, winning the Grand Prix Award for her stunning Mumbai film, All We Imagine as Light. It was the first film from India to be part of the Cannes Competition section after a 30-year gap. Her fiction feature debut also earned a Golden Globe nomination and took home Best Picture at the Asia Film Awards. The critically acclaimed drama about a trio of working women in Mumbai opened theatrically in India and over 50 countries, an unprecedentedly wide reach for a low-budget independently financed Indian feature. A year later, she joined the prestigious jury at the 78th edition of the international festival, alongside the likes of Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Strong and Halle Berry.

All We Imagine as Light also earned a Golden Globe nomination and took home best picture at the Asia Film Awards. The critically acclaimed drama about a trio of working women in Mumbai opened theatrically in India and over 50 countries, an unprecedentedly wide reach for a low-budget independently financed Indian feature. Currently, Kapadia is working on two films, which will be similar to the poetic naturalism of All We Imagine as Light. They will again comprise women’s stories in India’s biggest city — Mumbai.

POOJA DADLANI, Manager, Shah Rukh Khan

For over a decade, Pooja Dadlani has been one of the most influential power brokers in Indian cinema. As actor Shah Rukh Khan’s manager and long-time professional confidante, Dadlani is the custodian of Bollywood’s most valuable brand — guiding everything from his film choices and endorsements to global appearances. Often described as fiercely loyal and quietly formidable, Dadlani is credited with shaping the global phase of Khan’s stardom.

She has guided the star through high-stakes comeback films, international collaborations, and the inevitable highs and lows of a voluble career. Dadlani rarely gives interviews and maintains a deliberately low public profile, even as she accompanies Khan to film festivals, IPL fixtures with Kolkata Knight Riders, and snazzy international engagements. In an industry obsessed with visibility, she represents quiet, steady stewardship.

PRERNA SINGH, Producer, CEO of Bhansali Productions

As chief executive officer of Bhansali Productions and a long-time collaborator of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Prerna Singh is the motive force of one of Bollywood’s most distinctive studios. Bhansali’s grand, detail-obsessed visions reach the screen thanks to the exactitude and skill of Singh. Since joining the studio in 2019, she has shepherded to success some of the studio’s most ambitious projects, including Padmaavat, Gangubai Kathiawadi and the hit 2024 Netflix series Heeramandi. Within the media and film world, Singh is known for her authority, planning, and the ability to manage high-pressure sets and production schedules.

A calm and skilled taskmaster, she has been instrumental in transforming the Bhansali brand into a global signature, running a film studio with the aesthetic distinctiveness of a couture house.

PRIYANKA C. DUTT & SWAPNA C. DUTT, Producers

Born into the illustrious Vyjayanthi Movies legacy as daughters of producer C. Ashwini Dutt, sisters Priyanka C. Dutt and Swapna C. Dutt are known for their flair for production in Telugu cinema.

Priyanka, a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) graduate, honed her craft under filmmaker Shoojit Sircar before co-producing films such as Balu (2005) and Jai Chiranjeeva (2005). She also founded Three Angels Studio, producing Baanam (2009) and Om Shanti (2010). Her short film, Yaadon Ki Baarat, was even screened at Cannes in 2013. Last year, she produced Champion, a Telugu period drama, last year.

Swapna, equally visionary, established Vyjayanthi Televentures in 2008, and in 2014, she launched Swapna Cinema alongside Priyanka. They co-produced Yevade Subramanyam (2015) and the duo’s magnum opus Mahanati (2018), a biopic on the iconic Telugu actor Savitri, won national acclaim. The sisters have continued their winning streak with Sita Ramam (2022) and the blockbuster hit, Kalki 2898 AD (2024). The duo is now awaiting the anticipated release of the former's sequel and veteran Telugu-Tamil filmmaker Singeetam Sreenivasa Rao's 61st film.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS, Actor, producer, entrepreneur

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is one of the few Indian stars to have built a career that operates across industries, formats and geographies and has been the epitome of constant reinvention. She rose to prominence in Hindi cinema with defining performances that combined commercial appeal with dramatic range in hits such as Aitraaz, Fashion, Barfi! and Bajirao Mastani. These roles established her as one of Bollywood’s most versatile leading actors before she made the shift toward international platforms. She was also the first South Asian woman to headline a prime-time American network series with Quantico (2015 – 2018).

Her recent work reflects a focus on large-scale, international storytelling. In 2025, she appeared alongside John Cena and Idris Elba in Amazon Prime Video’s Heads of State. Her latest outing was the Russo Brothers' production The Bluff, a period action film in which she plays a former pirate. Chopra Jonas will return to Indian cinema opposite Mahesh Babu in S. S. Rajamouli’s upcoming epic Varanasi, her first Indian film since 2019. She continues to back regional Indian storytelling through her production house, Purple Pebble Pictures, and remains a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

PRIYANKA KHIMANI, Lawyer

Priyanka Khimani is an entertainment lawyer who has represented some of the biggest names in global entertainment such as A.R. Rahman, AP Dhillon, Divine, Badshah, Arijit Singh, Shraddha Kapoor, and the late Lata Mangeshkar among others, including comedians and directors such as Vir Das and Anurag Kashyap. She has advised her clients as they navigate contract disputes, new markets, label negotiations, and crisis situations, including #MeToo allegations. She is the chairperson of the India chapter of global non-profit Women in Music, and is the founder of Khimani & Associates, an India-based law firm known for its prestigious clientele. She currently serves on the board of Songtradr and Beatdapp.

RASHMIKA MANDANNA, Actor

Over the last few years, Rashmika Mandanna has steadily consolidated her position as one of the most sought-after leading women in Indian cinema. Equally at home in the Telugu, Tamil and Hindi industries, she has become a go-to presence for filmmakers in large-scale pan-India projects. In 2025, Mandanna featured in one of the year’s biggest commercial successes with Chhaava, reaffirming her box-office pull in Hindi cinema. More significantly, she marked an inflection point with The Girlfriend, a Telugu romantic drama in which her performance earned strong critical acclaim and was widely viewed as a change of pace for the actor.

That balance continues to define her current phase. She will next appear in the Hindi sequel to Cocktail, alongside Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, and is set to headline Mysaa, a Telugu action film that places her front and centre in the physically demanding role of a Gond warrior.

Off screen, she remains one of the country’s most influential celebrity figures with a massive digital following.

RESHMA SHETTY, Founder, Matrix

Reshma Shetty is one of the most powerful forces in India’s celebrity management landscape. As founder of Matrix, she has helped shape the careers of some of the country’s biggest names, including Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ram Charan, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Abhishek Bachchan. The agency also represents filmmakers such as Rohit Shetty and Zoya Akhtar, along with cricketer K.L. Rahul. Under her leadership, Matrix evolved from a talent agency into a strategic career partner. The team works across endorsements, digital presence, live appearances and long-term brand building. A key part of that strategy has been developing celebrity-led consumer businesses. Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty, Alia Bhatt’s Ed-a-Mamma and Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s Anomaly are examples of translating star power into scalable brands.

The 2023 merger with Bling Management strengthened Matrix’s position in the industry and expanded the roster to include actors such as Vidya Balan, Twinkle Khanna, Dimple Kapadia and Konkona Sen Sharma. This year, the company is expected to focus on international collaborations, direct-to-consumer ventures and new media platforms. Shetty remains a quiet but decisive presence, shaping influence at the intersection of entertainment, sport and entrepreneurship.

RHEA KAPOOR, Producer, Stylist

Rhea Kapoor has built her career on instinct — for style, for storytelling, and for what modern Indian women want to see on screen. As a producer and fashion entrepreneur, she moves between cinema and culture, backing projects that centre female agency without labelling them as such. From Veere Di Wedding to the commercial success of Crew, Kapoor has shown a knack for marrying glossy mainstream appeal with sharp, contemporary female characters.

Parallel to her film work, she has cultivated a formidable presence in fashion. As co-founder of the label Rheson, and a frequent collaborator with global luxury houses, Kapoor has helped craft a distinctly modern red-carpet vocabulary for Indian celebrities — one that feels less ornamental and more self-possessed. Her recent brand collaborations and capsule launches reflect her interest in design that is entirely rooted in Indian craft. Mainly, Kapoor’s influence lies in taste-making — in identifying shifts before they fully arrive. Whether producing, styling, or building consumer brands, she's the one shaping the aspirational language of a new Bollywood.

RUKMINI VASANTH, Actor

Over the past few years, Rukmini Vasanth has built a steadily expanding presence across south Indian films. She first came into wider focus with Kannada films, Sapta Sagaradaache Ello – Side A and Sapta Sagaradaache Ello – Side B, which established her as a serious dramatic performer. In 2025, Vasanth made a shift in scale. She entered Tamil cinema with Ace and Madharassi, starring alongside Vijay Sethupathi and Sivakarthikeyan respectively. The same year, she featured in the Kannada epic Kantara: Chapter 1, one of the year’s most high-profile releases. Her turn as princess Kanakavathi reflected careful preparation, including training in swordplay and horse riding to inhabit a historically rooted role.

She steps into 2026 with Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, headlined by Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas. She has quickly become one of the most closely watched young stars in the industry, with a growing online following and widespread curiosity around what she will do next.

SAI PALLAVI, Actor

After having the most sensational of debuts with the Malayalam film Premam in 2015 — “Malar Miss” still resonates across college corridors in Kerala and Tamil Nadu even today — Sai Pallavi has emerged as one of the best actors of her generation, in the decade that followed. Besides, the song “'Rowdy Baby” from Maari 2 (2018), where she dances with lithe abandon, is among the most-viewed YouTube Indian music videos of all time.

Growing up in Coimbatore, she first gained popularity as a dancer on a few reality shows on television and then balanced her fledgling film career along with studying medicine at Tbilisi State Medical University in Georgia. Pallavi has also earned plaudits for her refusal to endorse fairness creams, and for speaking out about the society’s fixation with fair skin.  

Her performances in recent films such as Virata Parvam (2022), Gargi (2022), and Amaran (2024) received acclaim. She is now set to enter Bollywood with Ek Din, a romantic drama co-starring Junaid Khan, and will star in Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious adaptation of The Ramayana, alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Yash.

SAMANTHA RUTH PRABHU, Actor

Since debuting in Ye Maaya Chesave (2010) 15 years ago, Samantha Ruth Prabhu has gone on to become one of South India’s most bankable stars, starring in several Tamil and Telugu blockbusters such as Eega (2012), Theri (2016) and Rangasthalam (2018). Furthermore, her performances in films such as Super Deluxe (2019) and Mahanati (2018) brought her critical acclaim.

More recently, starring in The Family Man (2021) and Citadel: Honey Bunny (2024), along with the viral highs of Pushpa’s (2021) “Oo Antava” endeared her to Hindi-speaking audiences. In 2025, she also debuted as a producer with the horror-comedy, Subham. Prabhu has earned much praise from fans and colleagues in film alike for being vocal about her health setbacks, raising awareness about the autoimmune condition (myositis), and addressing the need for actors to take breaks and focus on their mental and physical wellness amidst demanding schedules. She also founded a charitable trust, Pratyusha Support, to provide medical support for women and children.

SHRADDHA KAPOOR, Actor

One of the most loved actors with a loyal fan base since her debut with Aashiqui 2 (2013), Shraddha Kapoor effortlessly switches between bubbly romantic leads and intense, layered performances that leave audiences. From Stree (2018) to Haseena Parkar (2017) and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023), Kapoor has proven time and again that she’s unafraid to explore diverse roles. Stree 2 (2025) emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of all time, solidifying her box-office power and mass appeal. Beyond acting, she co-founded the demi-fine jewellery brand Palmonas, and is the brand ambassador of brands such as ASICS and Oppo, among others.

Grounded yet ambitious, Kapoor is one of India’s highest paid actresses, combining commercial success with critical credibility. Her ability to connect with audiences across demographics while maintaining artistic integrity makes her a formidable presence in contemporary Indian cinema, continuing to expand her influence both on and off screen.

SHREYA GHOSHAL, Singer

Being a prolific playback singer in an era of Auto-Tuned tracks and fading film albums is one thing. Being a great singer — full stop — is another. Being both at once has a name: Shreya Ghoshal. Where does one begin with the new-age nightingale of the Indian film industry? Much has been (rightly) said about her stunning vocal range and her ability to manufacture the sur of the written word. But Ghoshal is so much more — she represents the resilience of classical artforms without reducing it to a war between Western commercialism and Indian traditionalism.

It feels like only yesterday that she took the nation by storm as a teenager with a rich voice in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002). Since then, her name has morphed into a synonym for excellence. She is also one of the rare musical performers who has turned visibility into an enduring strength. Ghoshal is everywhere, without compromising on her childhood` dream: across sold-out concerts and world tours, and as a crowd-favourite judge on singing reality shows. A former winner of Sa Re Ga Ma herself, Ghoshal’s penchant of breaking out into pitch-perfect and a capella renditions at the judges’ desk remains one of the most soothing images on modern television today.

SONAM BAJWA, Actor

The 2012 Femina Miss India finalist Sonam Bajwa began her journey in Punjabi cinema with her debut film Best of Luck in 2013. She went on to establish herself as a leading star through successful films such as Carry On Jatta 2, Ardab Mutiyaran, Guddiyan Patole, Honsla Rakh and the Nikka Zaildar series. Her strong screen presence and versatile performance resulted in Bajwa becoming one of the most bankable actresses in Punjabi cinema.

She received the PTC Punjabi Film Award for her performance in Ardab Mutiyaran and has earned multiple Filmfare Awards Punjabi nominations. The year 2025 marked a major turning point in her career. She made her Bollywood debut with Housefull 5 and had prominent roles in Hindi films such as Baaghi 4, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat and the recent Border 2, expanding her reach beyond regional cinema to a pan-Indian audience.

Additionally, her Punjabi film Godday Godday Chaa received the National Film Award for Best Punjabi Film in 2025, earning critical acclaim for its social message and strong performances.

SUNIDHI CHAUHAN, Singer

Sunidhi Chauhan is the powerhouse voice behind some of Bollywood’s most memorable tracks — “Beedi,” “Dhoom Machale,” “Kamli,” and “Sheila Ki Jawani,” to name a few. With her unmistakeable vocal texture, she has shaped the sound of contemporary Hindi film music. A child prodigy, she got her big break with the song “Ruki Ruki Si Zindagi” from Mast (1999), and there has been no looking back since. From high-energy dance anthems to soulful ballads, she has lent her voice to a vast range of genres, effortlessly adapting to different musical styles. She has sung in multiple Indian languages and ventured into independent music, showcasing her versatility as an artiste. Chauhan also disrupted the Indian concert scene with her I Am Home tour, where she danced on stage while singing live — erstwhile unheard of in Indian concerts. Decades into her career, she remains one of India’s most influential and sought-after vocalists, charting her own path forward.

SUPRIYA YARLAGADDA, Producer, Actor

A producer and executive director of Annapurna Studios, Supriya Yarlagadda is also a Telugu film actor. Under her stewardship as executive director since 2000, the family’s studio —founded by her grandfather, the late Akkineni Nageswara Rao— churned out several films, including distributing popular hits such as Premalu (2024) and Kalki 2898 AD (2024).

In 2025, the studio re-released Nagarjuna's iconic Telugu action film Shiva (1989). As a producer, Yarlagadda is attempting to bridge the gap between “small” and “big” films, “Tollywood” and “Bollywood”. She has released Telugu films in other languages and believes that regional and linguistic barriers are blurring today.

TRISHA KRISHNAN, Actor

It’s a rare thing for a name alone to become an all-encompassing phrase. But that's what Trisha Krishnan is: a living and breathing embodiment of a power list. Terms such as ‘Queen of the South’ simply don’t cut it for a legacy that has grown to cut across time, languages, genres, audiences and genders. Her career trajectory is composed of the perfect mix of cinema, entertainment and a seismic stardom that exists somewhere in between. Whether it’s being commercially successful or critically acclaimed, being a Peta ambassador or a Unicef celebrity advocate, Krishnan has done it all.

It’s one thing to survive and be prolific in a famously patriarchal set of industries, but it’s another to not only thrive but become one of India’s highest-paid actresses for more than two decades. Her versatile work across Tamil and Telugu cinema has broken the glass ceiling for future generations, while also waking the rest of the country up to the culture-crossing popularity of movies films such as ‘96, Athadu, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, Kodi, Hey Jude, Ponniyin Selvan, Leo and others. While her success is attributed to the fact that she’s worked with every top director and male superstar in the South, it’s more accurate to say that they’ve distinguished themselves by working with Krishnan.

URVASHI, Actor

She is often regarded as one of India’s finest actors, compared only to the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Shabana Azmi and Kamal Haasan. She has won the Kerala State Award for Best Actress a record six times and last year, she added one more National Award to the category of Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Ullozhukku.

But when she won the award, she used the opportunity to wonder what the criteria was to differentiate a supporting role from the main lead. She also became the lone winner to speak up in favour of colleagues who were overlooked for the award due to political reasons. She has said she has never acted for awards or accolades of any form, instead choosing to act only because she loves the craft. She has also been vocal about the politics of her work, even before political correctness became a thing. She has also committed to never making body-shaming jokes, reflecting on some of the older work in which it was common for the lead to insult another character, just for comedy.

ZOYA AKHTAR, Filmmaker

One of the foremost contemporary Hindi filmmakers working today, Zoya Akhtar has both transcended and legitimised the identity of female storytellers in a notoriously male-dominated field. Hailing from an illustrious film family, Akhtar did more than just break out of the shadows of a loaded surname. Since her wonderfully assured directorial debut Luck by Chance (2009) — still considered by many as the definitive Bollywood film about Bollywood — Akhtar has forged her own path while puncturing perceptions on the way.

Initially pigeonholed as a Rich-People-Problems entertainer, she has thrived on cultural curiosity and the versatility of expression through Tiger Baby Films, the production company she co-founded with long-time collaborator, Reema Kagti. From her standout work in the Lust Stories anthologies (2018), to directing Gully Boy, producing Superboys of Malegaon, and diversifying the streaming space by co-creating Dahaad and Made in Heaven, Akhtar’s dent in the modern landscape is now a full-blown legacy: essential, indisputable and inevitable.