Non-Fiction
Discovery Studios signs top executive producer Mary Pelloni to overall deal
MUMBAI: Discovery Studios today announced an overall term deal with executive producer and television veteran Mary Pelloni. Pelloni will develop and produce series and specials under the Discovery Studios banner.
“Discovery Studios continues to attract the industry’s top creative talent and building an innovative operation for the production of globally successful television. Mary is an industry leader who shares Discovery’s values and brand sensibilities. The addition of her expertise to our already strong roster will ensure Discovery Studios continues to develop and produce programs that engage viewers with compelling stories, fascinating characters and high-quality production values,” said Lee Bartlett, President, Discovery Studios.
“I have partnered with Discovery on various projects over the years and have always been impressed by the strength of brands and their commitment to developing genre-defining, lifestyle programming,” said Pelloni. “I look forward to working with the team at Discovery Studios, bringing my ideas to life and creating original and captivating TV for Discovery’s global networks. Together, we’ll create the kind of pioneering programming that can be found nowhere else.”
Pelloni has been producing unscripted series and talk shows for broadcast and top cable networks for over a decade and began her career in development at national talk shows including Sally Jessy Raphael, Roseanne Barr and Gordon Elliott. She was instrumental in developing and executive producing long-running series includingDC Cupcakes for TLC, Bridezillas and Girl Meets Gown for WE TV and How Do I Look? for the Style Network.
MUMBAI: Dharma Cornerstone Agency is turning the page. The talent venture created by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Bunty Sajdeh’s Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment is being reshaped as both partners head in different directions, according to media reports.
What began as a bid to bring top-tier celebrity representation under one roof is now winding down its joint structure. With each company pursuing its own strategy in a fast-evolving talent industry, the partnership has reached its final chapter.
Reports suggest that Dharma is buying out Cornerstone’s 45 percent stake in the LLP. Once the transition is complete, Dharma is expected to hold full ownership and steer the operation entirely on its own.
The move comes at a time when celebrity and creator management is splintering into more specialised, independent models. Agencies are sharpening their focus as the entertainment economy grows more crowded and competitive.
DCA has represented a starry roster featuring Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Tripti Dimri, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neha Kakkar and Jubin Nautiyal, along with rising names including Ibrahim Ali Khan and Shanaya Kapoor. As the curtain falls on the joint venture, both Dharma and Cornerstone are expected to manage their talent stables separately.
The industry will watch closely as the two now script their next acts.
