NEW DELHI: Business tycoon Adar Poonawalla has acquired a 50% stake in Karan Johar‘s Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment (collectively known as Dharma). According to a press note released by Dharma Productions, the deal, finalised for ₹1,000 crore, involves Poonawalla’s Serene Entertainment. The remaining 50% ownership will remain with Karan Johar, who will lead the company’s creative vision as the Executive Chairman.

As the Chief Executive Officer, Apoorva Mehta will collaborate with Karan to guide the strategic direction and ensure operational excellence within the organisation.

Adar Poonawalla expressed his happiness to join hands with Karan Johar. He said, “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 Johar. We hope to build and grow Dharma and scale even greater heights in the years to come.”

Talking about the partnership, Karan Johar said, “From its inception, Dharma Productions has been synonymous with heartfelt storytelling that captures the essence of Indian culture. My father dreamed of creating films that would leave a lasting impact, and I’ve dedicated my career to expanding that vision.” 

KJo added, “Today, 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. It’s about honoring our roots while embracing the future of global entertainment. Dharma’s journey has been remarkable, and this collaboration opens up a world of possibilities for creating content that will resonate across borders and generations.”

The CEO of Dharma, Apoorva Mehta said that this partnership allows the production house to take “bigger creative steps.” He said, “Over the years, I’ve witnessed Dharma’s transformation into a multi-faceted content powerhouse. This partnership with Adar realizes our vision and marks a new era where cinema, streaming, and global content converge. It enables us to explore new avenues in content creation and distribution, elevating the Indian entertainment ecosystem. More importantly, this investment allows us to take bigger creative steps.”

Dharma Productions was founded in 1976 by Karan Johar’s father, Yash Johar. The production house has been behind films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Student of the Year, Good Newwz and Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva.

On the other hand, Dharmatic Entertainment was launched in 2018 and focuses on a wide array of projects, including web series, documentaries and feature films. Ajeeb Daastaans, Ae Watan Mere Watan, Koffee With Karan, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and The Tribe are produced by Dharmatic Entertainment.

MUMBAI: There is a prejudice against star kids that every actor’s child is born with a silver spoon in his mouth. However, according to Shahid Kapoor, this is not true, as the power lies in the hands of superstars, big directors, producers, and not character actors.
In a conversation with Neha Dhupia on her chat show, Shahid Kapoor, who is the son of veteran actor Pankaj Kapur, delved into the nuanced dynamics of privilege and struggle within the Bollywood industry. Despite his lineage, Kapoor candidly addressed the challenges faced by character actors, highlighting the stark reality that only superstars wield significant influence while character actors often lack power.

Shahid expressed his belief in the importance of earning success through hard work, emphasizing the satisfaction derived from overcoming obstacles and earning recognition on merit. He said starting your struggle in a luxury car and then buying a luxury car after being successful doesn’t have any fun. One needs to know the challenge of traveling on local trains, and the complexity of arranging money for the first photoshoot, as the victory after this hard work tastes sweet.

He even reflected on being a background dancer during his initial days. He said, forget about enjoying a star status among the other background dancers, when you are working with choreographer Shaimak Dawar, you need to earn your place in the center. He expressed that there was a struggle and fight among his contemporaries to get a spot in the first row.

Amid these reflections, Kapoor remains focused on his craft, having recently commenced shooting for his upcoming action thriller, ‘Deva,’ which was announced last year.

MUMBAI: One of the most successful movies of the 90s, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya brought on-screen Kajol and Salman Khan for the first time, in a simple boy meets girl love story. The movie also starred Arbaaz Khan and Dharmendra in key roles, and was directed by Salman’s brother Sohail Khan.

Today, the movie completed 26 years of its release, and marking the occasion, Kajol took to her IG handle to share some stills with Salman, Dharmendra and Arbaaz. In the movie, Kajol plays Muskaan, a simple village girl, who goes to the city for higher studies, where she meets the rich Suraj (Salman), and falls in love with him, despite their contrasting backgrounds. Sharing the same, Kajol wrote, “When tying ur hair in a plait was a symbol of an innocent girl 👧🤪 #26yearsofpyaarkiyatodarnakya”

While on Kajol, earlier this month, on Women’s day, March 8, Kajol posted a video paying tribute to the wonderful women in her life including her mother Tanuja, sisters Tanishaa Mukerji and Rani Mukerji, daughter Nysa Devgan and mother-in-law Veena Devgan. She shared a throwback video and said, “Happy #womensday to all these amazing women who don’t need a day to celebrate themselves coz they’re running their worlds everyday and they can and do take a day off when they need it without anyone’s permission! Cheers and kudos to this breed of #badasswomen!#internationalwomensday.”

On the work front, Kajol will next be seen in Kriti Sanon’s maiden production venture, ‘Do Patti’. The film marks the first-ever collaboration of Kajol and Kriti Sanon. The teaser of the film was launched in February, and Kajol essays the role of a cop in the film. Speaking about the film earlier , Kajol said, “Do Patti has a standout script that promises a unique blend of adventure and mystery. It is a story that is not only rooted in India but also promises the thrill that can be enjoyed by entertainment enthusiasts across borders ’’