Hindi
Is Reliance Industries investing in Karan Johar ‘s Dharma Productions?
MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is looking to acquire film czar Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, if media reports are to be believed. Apparently, the changing clime in the entertainment business with rising talent and production costs, theatrical releases bombing left and centre, and evolving consumption habits of viewers towards streaming services are making life financially difficult for India’s mostly family-owned studios.
As is the case with Karan Johar which is almost wholly owned by him and his mother Hiroo Johar. With no massive box office hits under his belt for a couple of years, and his getting on in years, Karan is believed to be looking at corporatising his studio by bringing in a corporate strategic investor. Earlier reports were that he was in conversation with Saregama – a part of the RPG Sanjiv Goenka group – which the latter later denied.
Reliance which has invested in Balaji Telefilms, owns Jio Studios, Studios, and Colosceum Media, could find adding Dharma to their portfolio of content creators an interesting proposition. Johar is known to be pretty close to Nita Ambani. Additionally, telecom player Jio, and Viacom18’s streaming service JioCinema needs partners to constantly feed it with films and shows. Acquiring a stake in Dharma would help bring in a celebrated story teller like Johar in its fold.
The Reliance group has been partnering strategically with fashion designers such as Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Satya Paul, Raghavendra Rathore, Ritu Kumar, Anamika Khanna, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra and Abraham & Thakore to grow its retail fashion segment. Could it follow that in entertainment too?
However, with neither Johar nor Nita Ambani confirming or denying media reports, one can only wait until a deal is announced – or denied.
Picture courtesy Karan Johar’s instagram account
Hindi
MIFF 2026 to return to Mumbai; film entries open till April 12
19th edition to host WAVES Doc Bazaar, spotlighting global documentary talent
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026 is set to take place from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC Complex, with film submissions currently open and the deadline fast approaching on April 12.
Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the biennial festival remains one of South Asia’s most prominent platforms for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
Filmmakers, producers and content creators from across the globe have been invited to submit entries via the Film Freeway platform for the Competition Section. Offline submissions will not be accepted, reinforcing a fully digital entry process.
MIFF 2026 continues to sweeten the deal with a robust awards pool of Rs 55 lakh. The coveted Golden Conch for Best Documentary carries a top prize of Rs 10 lakh, alongside multiple awards across categories, making it one of the most lucrative non-feature film festivals in the region.
A key highlight this year will be the second edition of the WAVES Doc Bazaar, scheduled from June 16 to 18 alongside the festival. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Doc Bazaar will feature a co-production market, viewing rooms and a work-in-progress lab, bringing together global buyers, sellers and creators under one roof.
Since its inception in 1990, MIFF has built a reputation as a serious showcase for non-feature cinema, drawing participation from filmmakers worldwide. The previous edition saw over 350 films from more than 30 countries, underlining its growing international footprint.
With submissions closing soon and preparations underway, MIFF 2026 is shaping up to be a vibrant meeting point for storytelling, collaboration and cinematic craft, offering filmmakers both a stage and a springboard.
