Why Ranbir Kapoor was the only Indian actor chosen for Time 100 list 2026

Dubai: Ranbir Kapoor has joined some of the most recognisable names on the planet.

TIME magazine has released its annual TIME 100 list of the world's most influential people, and the Bollywood star is the only Indian actor to make the cut this year, joining global figures including Donald Trump, Sundar Pichai, Pope Leo XIV and Ben Stiller. Celebrity chef Vikas Khanna also earned a spot on the list, recognised among visionaries in the culinary arts alongside names like Ralph Lauren and Victoria Beckham.

What TIME said about Ranbir

Ranbir's profile was written by fellow Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana, who made the case for why his peer represents something quietly significant in Indian cinema.

"There are actors who chase legacy and there are actors who become one through their craft. Ranbir Kapoor is the latter," Ayushmann wrote.

Reflecting on what sets Ranbir apart in an industry that often measures success in box office numbers and opening weekend figures, Ayushmann described him as an actor who operates on a different frequency entirely. "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. 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."

Ayushmann also positioned Ranbir as a cultural bridge between India and the world. "Our cinema is influencing the world. 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," he wrote.

Why Ranbir and not someone else

The selection was deliberate, and the reasons behind it go deeper than fame or box office figures.

The timing is no coincidence. Ranbir is currently at the centre of one of Indian cinema's most ambitious undertakings, leading Nitesh Tiwari's two-part Ramayana adaptation, a project reported to carry a budget of Rs 1,600 crore that is being positioned as a global cinematic event. For TIME, which tends to recognise individuals at the cusp of a major cultural moment, an actor bringing one of the world's most ancient and far-reaching epics to a 2026 global audience fits the brief, and could be the reason for his selection.

There is also the question of trajectory. According to Ayushmann where many of his peers have built carefully maintained superstar brands, Ranbir has quietly shifted from commercial blockbusters to high-concept cultural storytelling, a transition that Ayushmann mentions in his profile as a move from being a movie star to expanding the emotional vocabulary of an entire audience.

The choice of Ayushmann as the writer was itself a statement. A former TIME 100 honouree and TIME100 Impact Award winner, he understands the magazine's criteria better than most.

Vikas Khanna's recognition

Chef Vikas Khanna's profile was written by Eric Ripert, the James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin, who praised Khanna's ability to use food as a universal language.

"His generosity extends far beyond the kitchen, reaching communities across the world with compassion, dignity, and a deep sense of responsibility," Ripert wrote.

The company they keep

The 2026 TIME 100 spans pioneers, leaders, artists, icons and innovators. This year's list includes world leaders such as Xi Jinping, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mark Carney and Marco Rubio, as well as the commander of the upcoming Artemis II mission, Reid Wiseman. TIME noted that this year's honourees are changing culture in unprecedented ways.