Ranbir Kapoor is among this year’s TIME 100 Most Influential People, becoming the only Indian actor to make it to the list. In 2026, only three Indians made it to the list, including Ranbir, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and celebrity chef Vikas Khanna. Keep reading to know more:

Ranbir Kapoor joins Sundar Pichai and Vikas Khanna among TIME 100 Most Influential People 2026

Instagram/sundarpichai, Instagram/vikaskhannagroup, X/iamRanbirKapoor

TIME's list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2026 came out on Wednesday, April 15, featuring revered personalities from different industries like entertainment, technology, sports, finance, and academia.

Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor became the only Indian actor to make it to TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2026. He was among three Indians on the list, alongside Google CEO Sundar Pichai and celebrity chef Vikas Khanna.

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who featured on the TIME 100 Most Influential List in 2020, wrote Ranbir’s TIME's profile this year.

In his tribute to Kapoor, Khurana wrote, “Ranbir isn't just a movie star—he's a storyteller talking to a global audience and telling them stories of a fabled, mythical country where epics like The Ramayana have inspired other civilizations and cultures.”

Praising Ranbir’s craft, Ayushmann said, “There are actors who chase legacy and there are actors who become one through their craft. Ranbir Kapoor is the latter. In an industry as prolific and passionate as Indian cinema, we often measure greatness in decibels—box-office numbers, fan frenzy, opening weekends. But every once in a while, an actor shifts something quieter yet far more enduring: our emotional vocabulary as an audience. Ranbir has been doing that film after film.”

He added, “In a world where performances are often amplified, Ranbir internalizes. He shows our culture through quiet restraint. He represents the India that is finally learning how to listen to itself and leaves a mark through simple authenticity. Globally, actors like Ranbir become important cultural bridges. He embodies an India that is evolving not just in scale but also in sensitivity.”

The TIME 100 list this year includes entertainers from across the world, including Blake Lively, Ben Stiller, Benicio Del Toro, Zoe Saldana, Ethan Hawke, Kate Hudson, Claire Danes, Keke Palmer, Sterling K. Brown, Jonathan Groff, Wagner Moura, and Nikki Glaser.

Ranbir Kapoor has quite a year ahead of himself. He is about to headline one of the most ambitious projects in the history of Indian cinema – Ramayana. Mounted on a massive scale of Rs 4000 crore, the mythological epic, helmed by Nitesh Tiwari and backed by Namit Malhotra, is touted to be a visually mesmerizing experience crafted by the best technical and creative minds.

Slated to be released in two parts, Ramayana Part 1and 2 will hit the big screen around Diwali in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

Social and lead images credits: Instagram/sundarpichai, Instagram/vikaskhannagroup, X/iamRanbirKapoor