According to The Indian ExpressChawla’s wealth saw a remarkable 69% increase over the past year. The Hurun India Rich List 2025 ranked her second among the wealthiest actors in the country.

TNT Movies reported that Chawla’s acting career began with her debut film “Sultanat” (Kingdom) in 1986, but it was her role in the 1988 film “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak” (From Doom to Doom) that made her a household name. In 1993, she solidified her status as one of India’s top actresses, starring in several hit films that year, including “Lootere” (The Robbers), “Aaina” (The Mirror), “Darr” (Fear), and “Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke” (We Are Travelers on the Path of Love).

Her acting career includes several films that ranked among the highest-grossing releases of their respective years, including “Darr” (1993), “Duplicate” (1998), and “Arjun Pandit” (1999).

“For me no film was small, big, delayed, whatever,” Chawla reflected on her acting career with ETToday. “Wherever whatever work I was doing, I was just trying to be my best at that moment.”

In 1995, Chawla married industrialist Jay Mehta, the chairman of the Indian conglomerate Mehta Group, and gradually stepped back from acting. Her most recent on-screen appearance was in the 2022 Amazon Prime Video web series “Hush Hush.”

In 2000, Chawla co-founded a production company, Dreamz Unlimited, with Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aziz Mirza. In 2008, she, together with her longtime screen partner Shah and her husband Mehta, acquired the ownership rights to the Kolkata franchise in the Twenty20 cricket tournament, naming the team the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Since then, the team has won the Indian Premier League three times—in 2012, 2014, and 2024.

KKR plays a significant role in Chawla’s wealth, with her earnings largely derived from her stake in the team. Forbes India estimated KKR’s brand value at US$109 million this year, ranking it fourth among the league’s franchises. Additionally, according to Forbes in 2022, the Kolkata Knight Riders were the third most valuable team in the Indian Premier League, with a valuation of US$1.1 billion.

Chawla’s fortune is further bolstered by investments in prime real estate across India, with her and her husband’s portfolio of luxurious properties, per The Business Today.

Reflecting on her life and career, Chawla told Business Standard in 2024 that she used to doubt herself, often being compared to fellow actresses. However, she no longer does so.

“Now it is like you’ve been there and done that, got married and had kids and still doing films!” she said. “Now you can enjoy what you have and learn from your mistakes.”