In a significant deal that has attracted interest from both the Bollywood and business sectors, Adar Poonawalla has eclipsed major players like Reliance and Saregama to secure a substantial stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. An official announcement from the production house reveals that Poonawalla’s Serene Entertainment has acquired a 50 percent stake in Dharma for ₹1,000 crore, while Johar will keep the remaining 50 percent ownership.
Adar Poonawalla said, “I am excited to work with one of our country’s most iconic production houses alongside my friend Karan Johar,” expressing his excitement for the collaboration. Our goal is to advance and strengthen Dharma in order to achieve even more success down the road.
In his comments about the partnership, Dharma Productions executive chairman Karan Johar said, “Dharma Productions has always been associated with emotional storytelling that captures Indian culture. My work has been dedicated to fulfilling my father’s aim of producing pictures that would have a lasting influence.
“Today, as we collaborate with Adar, a dear friend, and an extraordinary visionary and innovator, we are poised to take Dharma’s legacy to new heights. This partnership represents an ideal fusion of our heartfelt storytelling abilities and progressive business strategies. It’s about respecting our heritage while looking toward the future of global entertainment. Dharma’s journey has been extraordinary, and this collaboration unlocks a world of possibilities for creating content that resonates across borders and generations,” Johar added.
Dharma: A Legacy Established Through Blockbuster Films
Founded in 1976 by Yash Johar, Karan Johar’s father, Dharma Productions has been a cornerstone of the Indian film industry for nearly five decades. The company gained prominence with its first major production, Dostana, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, and has since become renowned for its blockbuster films and trendsetting releases.
Karan Johar took over the firm after Yash Johar passed away, and at the age of 25, he directed his first movie, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Nearly 50 films have been produced by Dharma under his direction; many of these have achieved Bollywood landmarks, such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2 States, Kapoor & Sons, and Dear Zindagi.
The company has also been pivotal in launching the careers of several young actors from prominent film families, such as Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Ananya Pandey.
In 2018, Karan Johar founded Dharmatic Entertainment to create original content for global streaming services. The company has since collaborated with Netflix and Amazon Prime to create series such as The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and Call Me Bae. These initiatives have enabled Dharma to expand its presence in the rapidly growing OTT (over-the-top) market.
In addition to being a multimedia sensation, Karan Johar has further cemented his impact in Bollywood by anchoring the wildly successful chat program Koffee with Karan.