A few months ago, we had reported about Karan Johar entering into a partnership with Adar Poonawalla, where he sold 50 percent of the equity of Dharma Productions to the renowned entrepreneur for Rs 1000 crores. In a recent interview, the filmmaker spoke about the partnership, and why he thinks Adar Poonawalla might exit out of the deal in a few years. 

Speaking to Sarthak Ahuja, Karan Johar said, “I am sure at some point Adar is looking for an exit out of this deal because he is a businessman. I think this was a move towards diversification but with him, it’s a balance.”

At the same time, the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai filmmaker also described Adar as ‘a lover of the arts,’ adding, “Maybe the return at that point — after 8 or 10 years or whenever he is looking at — is not magnificently huge but enough to have satiated his creativity or rather his diversification needs as well as given him that kind of glory.”

Karan humbly spoke about how own projection as an extravagant businessman, adding that it doesn’t necessarily reflect in his bank balance. “Look at my bank balance. I may live a certain life and project a certain lifestyle but please look at my accounts and it will be ‘yeh toh naam bada hai darshan chota hai’. I am nothing compared to a gazillion business heads. But, there is a love that people have for the work we do, and that kind of glory cannot be monetised,” he added. 

The filmmaker also commented about other similar partnerships that took place post his deal with Adar Poonawalla — like Excel Entertainment’s merger with Universal or Sanjay Leela Bhansali tying up with Saregame. He said, “Older Indian studios are seeking comfort in larger conglomerates so they can take their chances and not go through this process of this buying and selling that you need to do to make movies.”

While Karan Johar has been active as a producer, his last directorial was the 2023 romantic-drama Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani.