Film Production
Fox Star Studios inks nine film production & distribution deal with Karan Johar
MUMBAI: In one of the biggest deals in recent times, Fox Star Studios has inked a nine-film deal with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
As per the deal, which will run over the next three years, the two companies will jointly produce and distribute films, which will be helmed by directors like Johar, Ayan Mukerji and Karan Malhotra amongst others. The films are also likely to stars names like Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt to name a few.
Under the terms of this deal, while some films will be co-produced by the two companies, others will be for distribution only.
Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “The Indian film industry is an important market for us and this strategic partnership offers us an excellent opportunity to fundamentally change the content quality paradigm. This venture is the natural step in our progression to create entertaining and eclectic content for a global audience and to grow the business through game-changing innovation in content, marketing and distribution.”
Johar added, “Movies for me have always been a blend of artistic and commercial resources. Dharma Productions has always endeavored to attain the highest form of celluloid excellence and entertain simultaneously. I am glad we have found a partner in Star India and Fox Star Studios for a visionary nine films alliance. This partnership will not only be the coming together of two forces who understand the need of the cinematic hour but also work as a unit to increase the footfall strength at the movies and empower other verticals. It’s a new age of cinema and this association is a glorious reflection of the times.”
Fox Star Studios CEO Vijay Singh said, “This strategic alliance is path-breaking as it envisages the stakeholders pooling in their collective strengths and thereby chalking a new path for Bollywood, specifically in the way in which films are marketed and distributed. Consolidation through strategic alliances is the way forward in the film industry.”
Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta added, “It is by far the biggest collaboration that the Indian film Industry has ever seen. With this strategic deal, Dharma has entered into a new phase of movie business, which will provide a disruptive growth model for all the parties involved. This landmark decision will bring on board the most visionary and astute leaders together who will drive the overall strategy for making, promoting and distributing movies. I am happy to say that Dharma is excited and geared up for these new opportunities in the coming years and it definitely looks like the beginning of a game-changing era for the industry.”
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
