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: Yesteryear actors Aruna Irani and Mumtaz, who began their careers as child artistes, later went on to share screen space in films such as ‘Patthar Ke Sanam’, ‘Talaa’, and ‘Bandhan’. Eventually, the two grew close and became friends. The ‘Caravan’ actor used to call Mumtaz ‘Mumu’ affectionately. While taking a trip down memory lane, the 77-year-old actor recently disclosed that she used to wear Mumtaz’s old clothes.

During an interview, Aruna said, “I had a very close bond with Mumtaz. She used to give me her old clothes. She would bring her old clothes from home and tell me, ‘Tu yeh lekar jaana (Take these).’ I used to alter the hand-me-downs as per my size and wear them. She was very good!”

The actress recalled an amusing incident and disclosed how eating bhaang by accident helped her perform her song ‘Yeh Dhuan Meherbaan Charas Ka Nahin Hai’ from the film ‘Charas’. “I had to appear a little charsi (intoxicated) in the song. A day before I was supposed to shoot the song, I attended a Holi bash where I had unknowingly consumed bhaang. I also ate sweets which made me more intoxicated. Dopahar ke baad chadh gayi (I was fully out of my senses by afternoon). I was laughing and doing all kinds of funny things,” she shared.

She was still hungover when she got up the following morning. But in order to shoot the song, the actor had to go back to the sets. “After seeing my condition, my mother fed me butter and suggested I take a cold shower. I felt better after that. Aaisa laga utar gayi hai (I thought I was alright). But the moment I sat in the car and the wind touched my face, I felt intoxicated again,” she narrated.

Aruna Irani remembered that she was unable to stand up and exit the car. She said her gaze shifted from the driver’s face to the car’s door. Upon rising, she quietly made her way to the make-up room, opting not to apply any make-up. She laid a towel on the floor and drifted off to sleep. She was awakened by her dance master Suresh, who instructed her to apply make-up and prepare for the shot. Assuring her that he would handle the rest, he advised her to keep her eyes wide open during the song. Following his guidance, she maintained her composure despite being under the influence of bhaang. After the shot was completed, a towel was laid out for her to rest. The actress revealed that she vowed to never consume the drink again after this incident.

The performer disclosed that although the song and her performance were well-received by all, it was the bhaang that helped bring out her ‘charsi’ side required for the sequence.

Aruna Irani was well-known for her incredible dancing skills. Throughout her successful career, she appeared in superhit songs such as ‘Mere Beri Ber Mat Todo’, ‘Chadhti Jawani’, ‘Nainon Ki Khichdi’ and ‘Ye Mera Jaadu’, among others.