Delhi & Mumbai Lead Sales as Celebrity Driven Realty Gains Momentum

India's luxury realty sector is being taken over by a star-studded makeover where celebrities are entering roles beyond endorsements by co-authoring lifestyle-based housing developments. Ranging from Karan Johar's cinematic aesthetic nuance to Hrithik Roshan's fitness-driven branding, celebrity licensing is becoming a primary experiential branding tool for developers of metros such as Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Bengaluru.

Sandeep Dahiya, founder of Branquila Brand Ventures said, "Karan Johar is not only lending his name,  he's writing a whole design narrative. What you see is a transition from passive advertisement to active lifestyle creation." Johar's association with Lodha was marketed as a "director's cut" experience, while designers such as Sussanne Khan and Gauri Khan co-created brand value through custom interiors. 

Key Highlights:

• Celebrities now co-design luxury housing, moving beyond brand endorsements
• Real estate licensing is growing faster than overall brand licensing in India
• Lifestyle branding reshapes premium real estate across top metros

Dahiya added, “In India, the overall brand and celebrity licensing market has grown steadily at 12 to 15 percent annually, but the real estate-specific licensing subset has accelerated more sharply. Today, we’re seeing multiple collaborations across metros.”

According to a CBRE–ASSOCHAM report, Delhi-NCR led luxury sales in H1 2025 with nearly 4,000 units sold. In Mumbai, apartment sales above Rs.10 crore rose by 11 percent, per India Sotheby’s International Realty and CRE Matrix.

Also Read: Luxury Home Sales in Mumbai Rise 11 percent in H1 2025

The trend goes beyond Bollywood. Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh have joined hands on sports-based housing projects, and international lifestyle brands such as FashionTV and Playboy are making an entry through licensing.

"It's no longer a home. It's who you are," said Dahiya. Jiggy George of Dream Theatre added, "Licensing distinguishes the offering from rivals, attracting more eyeballs and focus, but needs firm brand control to maintain value."