MUMBAI – Superstar Salman Khan has been named in Variety magazine’s list of500 most influential business leaders shaping the global $2 trillionentertainment industry.
Other Indians in the list include writer-director Karan Johar, Star IndiaCEO Uday Shankar, Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra, Aditya Chopra ofYash Raj Films, Balaji Telefilms’ Ekta Kapoor, Zee Entertainment CEO PunitGoenka and Siddharth Kapur of The Film and Television Producers Guild ofIndia Ltd.
“Variety500 is an index of the 500 most influential business leadersshaping the global $2 trillion entertainment industry,” Variety said on itswebsite. “Updated annually, the Variety500 reflects the accomplishments ofits members over the previous 12 months. They were selected by the Varietyeditorial board, which conducted extensive research for its selections.”
Topping the list is Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Robert Iger, who“has a strong track record for taking savvy risks” with big-ticketacquisitions like $4.05 billion for Star Wars owner Lucasfilm in 2012, $4billion for Marvel in 2009 and $7.4 for Pixar Animation in 2006 paying offhandsomely.
Wanda Media Group Chairman Jainlin Wang, actor producer Bradley Cooper,Sony Corp Chairman Kaz Hirai, writer J K Rowling, Netflix Chief ContentOfficer Ted Sarandos, pop star Beyonce, writer and director Patty Jenkins,Megal Ellison of Annapurna Pictures and Youtube CEO Susann Wojcicki alsofeature in the list.
Salman Khan, Variety said, is one of the unrelated Khan triumviratecomprising Aamir and Shah Rukh that has been ruling the Bollywood boxoffice for decades. Of the top ten grossing films of all time, Salman hasthree, as does Shah Rukh, while Aamir has four.
“Unlike his contemporary Khans whose fan bases are staid by comparison,every Salman release generates mass hysteria across India, a frenzysurpassed only by the fans of South Indian superstar Rajinikanth,” it said.