Ranbir Kapoor is going dhak dhak and will catch up with Shah Rukh Khan in the brand endorsement game, riding home a cool `1.5 crore per day for his likely deals with Hero Honda as well as a personal care brand, media executives familiar with the negotiations told ET.

The other hot, young actor in Bollywood, Imran Khan, too is rapidly increasing his brand value and is quoting `1 crore per day, putting him almost at par with Amitabh Bachchan as marketers look for youth icons to connect with young consumers who rule the Indian marketplace.

“It’s natural to look at a youth icon given that he stays with the brand longer and associates with the target group,” said an executive at Hero Honda.

The world’s largest two-wheeler maker may end its deal with Hrithik Roshan once Kapoor comes on board, added the person, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Celebrity endorsements are signed according to the number of days of engagement that includes shooting and promotional activities, and most deals are signed for five days in a year. This means Ranbir Kapoor will take home an average `7.5 crore a year for each brand he endorses, while Imran Khan, who represents Coca-Cola and Levi Strauss, gets `6 crore each.

Anirban Das Blah, managing director of KWAN Marketing & Entertainment Solutions, which manages celebrities such as Ranbir Kapoor and Shahid Kapur, said young stars relate to the masses more.

“The Indian consumer class in the age group of 15 to 30 do not relate to older actors as much as they do to young ones. That’s why youth icons like Ranbir Kapoor sell to the masses and are able to command high endorsement rates,” he said.

That does not mean older actors are running out of business.

Aamir Khan, who has made a habit of breaking box-office records with hits such as 3 Idiots and Ghajini, is doing the same in endorsement circle.

He has quoted `14 crore for five days of commitment to automaker Mahindra & Mahindra for its soon-to-be-launched two-wheelers, said media executives close to the development.

This is a cool `3.5 crore per day, far ahead of anybody else in the game. The deal is expected be signed shortly.

One reason for Aamir Khan’s success is that just like his films, he keeps a check on the number of brands he promotes.

“Fewer the brands one endorses, higher the remuneration,” said Neeraj Bahl, director of Carving Dreams, a celebrity management agency that manages actor Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan among others.

The same logic works for youngsters like Kapoor, Imran Khan and Shahid Kapur. “Times are moving fast. Brands no longer prefer a face that has been exposed by multiple brand endorsements,” said Mr Bahl.

That may explain the slip in the market rate of Shah Rukh Khan, aka King Khan — to `1.5 crore per day from Rs 2 crore, according media executives.

Other Bollywood biggies such as Hritik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan too are struggling in the market. Roshan now gets `1.2-1.5 crore a day, down from `1.75 crore, after his Kites fell flat on the ground.

Abhishek Bachchan saw his endorsement fee slip by one-fourth after the spectacular failures of Raavan and Drona.