Serum Institute's Adar Poonawalla acquires 50% of Karan Johar's Dharma Productions for Rs 1000 cr
Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), on Monday said that his company Serene Productions will buy 50 per cent stake in Dharma Productions, led by prominent Bollywood producer and filmmaker Karan Johar, news agency Reuters reported.
The investment in the production house Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment (Dharma) is expected to invest Rs 1,000 crore ($119 million), Serene Productions said in a statement. “Poonawalla’s investment values Dharma at Rs 2,000 crore,” the statement added.
“We hope to build and grow Dharma and scale even greater heights in the years to come,” Poonawalla said on Monday
Meanwhile, the remaining 50 per cent ownership is to be retained by Johar who is also the company’s Executive Chairman. “This partnership represents a perfect blend of our emotional storytelling prowess and forward-thinking business strategies. It’s about honouring our roots while embracing the future of global entertainment,” he said after the announcement.
Apoorva Mehta, in his role as the Chief Executive Officer, is expected to work with Johar in steering the strategic direction and overseeing the operations.
Led by Karan Johar, Dharma Productions was founded by his father and filmmaker Yash Johar in 1976. The ownership structure previously involved 90.7 per cent by Karan Johar and 9.24 per cent by his mother, Hiroo Johar