Mahesh Babu, Sachin Tendulkar Bets Highlight Rise of Celebrity Startup Investors in India

Key points

1. Actor Mahesh Babu joined Mumbai-based Shortgun Games as a strategic investor on November 3, 2026; the investment amount and equity details were not disclosed.
2. Shortgun Games is developing Project Takedown, a story-driven action-adventure game set in Mumbai for PC and consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
3. Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar became a strategic investor in Metasports Interactive, the Hyderabad-based company behind mobile cricket game Hitwicket, also announced on November 3.
4. Tendulkar will also serve as Hitwicket’s brand ambassador and feature in its in-game experiences, content and brand activations; financial terms were not disclosed.
5. Tracxn data reported in September 2026 showed 10 prominent film and sports personalities took part in 49 disclosed funding rounds across 34 India-headquartered startups between January 2021 and September 4, 2026.
6. The combined value of those 49 funding rounds was about $458 million; this represents the total round value, not the celebrities’ personal investments.
7. In Tracxn’s sample, Shilpa Shetty Kundra had the highest number of disclosed rounds with 10, while MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar had six each.

Actor Mahesh Babu’s reported investment in Mumbai-based gaming studio Shortgun Games and Sachin Tendulkar’s backing of Hitwicket maker Metasports Interactive have brought fresh attention to the role of celebrities in India’s startup ecosystem. Both investments were announced on November 3, 2026, and reflect a pattern in which well-known figures from cinema and sport are taking positions in businesses beyond their traditional entertainment and endorsement roles.

The deals are part of a wider trend, rather than isolated celebrity associations. Data from market intelligence platform Tracxn, reported in September, found that 10 prominent film and sports personalities participated in 49 disclosed funding rounds across 34 India-headquartered startups between January 2021 and September 4, 2026. The combined value of those funding rounds was approximately $458 million, although that figure is not the amount personally invested by the celebrities.

Mahesh Babu backs a homegrown gaming studio

Mahesh Babu has joined Shortgun Games as a strategic investor, according to the Mumbai studio’s announcement and media reports. The investment amount and the precise equity stake have not been made public. The company was founded by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta and is focused on developing games for PC and console platforms.

Its flagship project, Project Takedown, is described as a narrative-driven action-adventure set in Mumbai. The game is being developed for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with the studio looking to reach players in international markets as well as India. Shortgun’s own website says it moved from Web3 and mobile work towards PC and console development in 2024.

The association is intended to extend beyond a financial investment. Shortgun’s announcement said Mahesh Babu would help the studio develop characters and immersive worlds as it works towards building original Indian gaming intellectual property. The partnership therefore combines investment with the actor’s experience in storytelling and his public profile, although the commercial impact of the association will only become clear as the game progresses.

Sachin Tendulkar joins the company behind Hitwicket

On the same day, Sachin Tendulkar became a strategic investor in Metasports Interactive, the Hyderabad-based company behind the mobile cricket strategy game Hitwicket. The financial terms and valuation were not disclosed. Tendulkar is also set to serve as the game’s brand ambassador and participate in in-game experiences, content and brand activations.

Metasports has said Hitwicket has more than 20 million players and is targeting 100 million downloads over the next three years. Tendulkar’s association gives the cricket game a direct link with one of the sport’s most recognisable figures, while the company seeks to expand its audience. The investment is distinct from Metasports’ earlier user-acquisition funding from London-based Metica, reported in April 2026.

The two November announcements show how celebrity participation can take different forms. In Shortgun’s case, the studio has highlighted Mahesh Babu’s involvement in developing creative properties. Metasports has outlined a combination of investment, brand representation and in-game participation for Tendulkar.

What the numbers say about celebrity investment

Tracxn’s analysis, as reported by Moneycontrol and other publications in September, identified 49 disclosed funding rounds involving 10 prominent film and sports personalities across 34 Indian startups during the period from January 2021 to September 4, 2026. The rounds had a combined disclosed value of around $458 million. The distinction is important: the figure represents the value of the funding rounds in which celebrities participated, not the amount of money contributed by the celebrities themselves.

Shilpa Shetty Kundra recorded the highest number of disclosed rounds in the group, with 10. MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar had six each, while Shraddha Kapoor and Virat Kohli were listed with five apiece. The startups represented sectors including food and beverage, beauty, fashion, mobility, education, technology and consumer businesses.

The dataset also suggests that celebrity involvement is not always limited to a single cheque or one publicity partnership. Nine celebrity-company pairs accounted for 22 of the 49 rounds, with repeat participation in some businesses. Maharashtra was home to 15 of the 34 startups in the dataset, including 12 based in Mumbai.

Can star power translate into startup growth?

A celebrity investor can potentially contribute more than capital. A public association may help a young company attract attention, introduce a product to a large audience and create opportunities for brand partnerships. In sectors such as gaming, where companies need to build communities around intellectual property, a familiar face may also help a new Indian product reach audiences beyond its initial market.

However, visibility is not a substitute for a viable business. Product quality, execution, user retention, distribution, financial discipline and the ability to compete in the market remain important to a startup’s prospects. The investment amounts in both the Shortgun Games and Metasports announcements were undisclosed, so the scale of the celebrities’ financial commitments cannot be compared from the public information available.

The latest deals underline the expanding range of businesses attracting celebrity attention. Whether that attention becomes a durable growth advantage will depend on what the companies build and how customers respond. For founders, celebrity backing may open doors; for investors and consumers, the underlying business still matters more than the name attached to it.