The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) compiles a list of the most popular Indian celebrities each week, based on how often their profiles are visited by internet users. Naturally, actors whose films are in theatres or on streaming at any given point in time dominate these lists. But this week, as IMDb India dropped the latest top 30, a surprise name was at the top – a child actor who beat superstars like Aishwarya Rai, Vijay, and Mohanlal, despite all of them being in the news of late.
The most popular film star in India right now
The list of the most popular Indian celebs this week from IMDb lists actor Yudhvir Ahlawat at the top. The young actor is currently earning acclaim for his supporting role in Kartavya, the Netflix film starring Saif Ali Khan. In the film, Yudhvir plays a 14-year-old who is coaxed into carrying out a hit job, and Saif’s cop is tasked with protecting him. Yudhvir’s performance was praised by critics and audiences alike, leading to a renewed interest in him. This led to more visits to his IMDb profile since the film’s release on Netflix on May 15.
Hailing from Haryana, Yudhvir began his acting career with Saand Ki Aankh in 2019. He has since appeared in the film Love Hostel and the web series Co-Ed, in addition to Kartavya. The actor had revealed in an interview a few years ago that while he looks young, he isn’t actually a minor.
Internet reacts
Yudhvir beat stalwarts like Aishwarya Rai (at number 3 following her Cannes visit), Vijay (at number 4 after taking charge as Tamil Nadu CM), as well as Jr NTR (at number 24) and Shah Rukh Khan (out of the top 30) in the list. The internet was all for it, though. In the comments section of IMDb India’s Instagram post, one person wrote, “@yudhvir__ahlawat truly deserves the no.1 ranking! This boy made it on his own! We should all celebrate with him, for him!” Another praised his performance in the film and added, “Yudhir Ahlawat hands down…..in the same league as Kunal Khemu from Zakhm or Hansraj from Masoom.”
How does IMDb prepare the list
According to IMDb, the list features Indian stars trending globally: actors, directors, cinematographers, and writers. It is determined by the page visits an artist’s profile gets in the time period from more than 250 million fans monthly from around the globe.
