Filmmaker and producer Karan Johar’s company Dharma Productions fell into a bit of financial strain last year. Making a business decision, a 50% stake was sold to Serum Institute’s Adar Poonawalla. Opening up about this major move, he shared a lot of insight into this decision with Curly Tales.
The Dharma Productions headliner also shared that negotiation wasn’t really his strong suit. Surprisingly, Johar added, “My business acumen is not the sharpest. You may not believe me, but it’s true.” Being the creative mind behind the Dharma universe, some of Karan Johar’s latest projects this year include Nadaaniyan, Dhadak 2, and Sunny Sanskari ki Tulsi Kumari. And, famously for his TV audience, he was spotted on The Traitors.
Johar’s right hand at Dharma
Karan Johar shared that the lack of a business bent of mind led him to fall back on his childhood friend, Apoorva Mehta. Now the CEO of Dharma, he is the “business mind behind Dharma, Dharmatic, Dharma 2.0, DCA, everything,” revealed Johar. He added, “He’s the business brain, and I’m the creative source.”
Furthermore, Johar revealed that he had called on Mehta after the passing of his father, Yash Johar. The cinema legend had left behind a legacy and the aching emptiness in Karan Johar.
Dharma’s 50% stake
Revealing more details about the deal, Karan called it the “right decision for growth.” He then added that he “knew that 50 crore would become 1,500 crore if I had that 50% investment. I knew what I could do with that investment, how I could grow and take my company in a much more forward-moving direction.” According to previous reports, Poonawalla had invested Rs 1,000 crore in Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment.
Speaking more about his poor negotiation skills, Johar felt that he “should never be in the negotiation room.” He added, “I’ll always give up more and receive less.”
The landmark deal aimed to take Dharma Productions to a global scale, expand its reach, and facilitate larger budget projects. Johar had shared that this partnership allowed him to fulfil dreams he hadn’t realised earlier due to funding limitations, and to build a lasting legacy for the studio. However, since he took over, he has built Dharma into one of the most prestigious production houses in India. Giving timeless hits like ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, and more, he has shaped an entire generation of cinema. However, notoriously associated with favouring star kids, Johar has faced huge backlash from his audience. His last hit was in 2023 when Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani won the hearts of several Bollywood lovers.
