Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt: Why Bollywood Stars are Endorsing Dubai Real Estate
Last November, headlines buzzed with the news of an upcoming Shahrukhz by Danube tower, not in Mumbai, but in Dubai. While this development was exciting, it wasn't entirely unusual. Dubai developers have been leveraging Bollywood celebrities and their star power to endorse properties in the city for decades.
Considering the immense popularity of Shah Rukh Khan in South Asia, it makes perfect sense that the Danube Group chose him as the ambassador and namesake for their new 55-storey premium commercial tower. Dubai has long been home to the South Asian, especially Indian diaspora, who have migrated to the city for better employment opportunities, tax benefits, and investor-friendly policies. Thus, onboarding Bollywood actors to attract investment from this audience is a sound marketing strategy.
Around the same time Shahrukhz by Danube was making headlines, Bollywood couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor also became the faces of DAMAC Properties’ premium residential portfolio in Downtown Dubai. Late 2025 saw the partnership between Hrithik Roshan and Imtiaz Developments for the latter’s 'design-led luxury' projects in areas like Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) and Al Furjan in Dubai.
Another luxury property developer in Dubai, HRE Development, has recently signed Salman Khan to endorse its high-end residential properties and to drive trust among the Indian diaspora. The Danube Group has also partnered with other celebrities, such as Kartik Aryan and the 'Munna Bhai MBBS' duo, Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi, to sell its properties.
While the deal with Aryan was made in late 2025 to attract younger buyers for Danube’s Bayz (for high-rise urban lifestyle) and Sportz (for luxury active lifestyle), Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi starred in Danube’s 2023 ad campaign titled 'Dubai Mei Ghar Bole To... Danube Ka Ghar.'
We may be looking at a trend here, and while Danube’s name features prominently, the group may have started it all the way back in 2008. Almost two decades ago, Shah Rukh Khan launched the 'Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard' on Dana Island in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, marking the first time a Bollywood star's name branded a major UAE development. Later, in 2014, he endorsed the Dh2.3 billion Royal Estate in Dubai Investment Park, a project featuring interiors designed by Gauri Khan.
Deepika Padukone has also endorsed Aspire Real Estate as the first female Bollywood celebrity to endorse real estate in Dubai back in 2008 in Dubai Marina. Anil Kapoor endorsed Ritz by Danube in 2016 in Al Furjan, and Ranveer Singh partnered with PRYPCO Blocks in 2025 across Dubai Marina. Another star couple, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, endorsed Sanctuary Falls in 2013 for Shaikh Holdings in Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The trend makes it evident that developers in Dubai are increasingly relying on celebrities to attract investors to properties in the desert. This strategy not only leverages the popularity of Bollywood stars but also taps into the emotional and cultural connections they share with the South Asian diaspora.
