Karan Johar Sells 50% Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla for Rs. 1,000 Crore
Karan Johar sold 50% of his production company, Dharma Productions, to Adar Poonawalla for Rs.1,000 crore to boost content creation and expand multilingual projects.
Bollywood’s well-known producer and director, Karan Johar, has sold half of his production house, Dharma Productions, to Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India and owner of Serene Production. The deal, announced on 21st October 2024, is worth a huge Rs 1,000 crore. This major agreement means that Adar Poonawalla will now own 50% of Dharma Productions, while Karan Johar will keep the remaining half and continue to lead as Executive Chairman. Apoorva Mehta will stay on as CEO.
Dharma Productions, under Karan Johar’s leadership, has given Bollywood some of its most iconic movies, like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', 'Kal Ho Naa Ho', 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', 'Raazi', and 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'. The production house is also known for popular TV shows like 'Koffee with Karan' and 'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives'. Karan holds a 90.7% stake in Dharma, while his mother, Hiroo Johar, has 9.24%.
Adar Poonawalla’s Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, known globally for its role in vaccine production. His other company, Serene Production, provides full-service support to production houses, including casting, art buying, creative consulting, location scouting, managing filming logistics, and green consulting services for eco-friendly production.
So why did Karan Johar decide to sell 50% of Dharma? While no official reason has been given, there are reports that Dharma Productions faced significant financial challenges in the past year. In 2023, the company’s profits dropped by 60%, while expenses and production costs increased, leading to a record low annual profit of just Rs.11 crore. Karan had reportedly explored partnership options with other big companies, like Sanjiv Goenka’s Saregama and Reliance Industries, before finalizing the deal with Adar.
This partnership aims to combine Dharma’s strong storytelling with Adar’s resources and expertise. According to the statement, they plan to use advanced technology and innovative methods to improve content creation, distribution, and audience engagement. They also want to create large-scale, multilingual productions, build franchises, and bring a fresh touch to traditional entertainment formats.
In his statement, Karan Johar expressed his excitement, saying, “As we join forces with Adar, a close friend and an exceptional visionary and innovator, we’re poised to elevate Dharma’s legacy to new heights. This partnership represents a perfect blend of our emotional storytelling prowess and forward-thinking business strategies.”
Adar Poonawalla shared his enthusiasm as well, stating, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to partner with one of the most iconic production houses in our nation, along with my friend Karan. We hope to build and grow Dharma and scale even greater heights in the years to come.”
This collaboration marks a new chapter for Dharma Productions, blending creative storytelling with modern business strategies. Fans and industry experts are looking forward to seeing how this partnership will shape the future of Bollywood entertainment.
