Overview

• Karan Johar says selling 50% of Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla’s Serene Productions for Rs 1,000 crore has made him accountable for profits.
• He frames the decision as a growth move, citing immediate steps like launching a distribution arm and pursuing an expanded music business.
• Johar notes quarterly performance expectations now shape greenlighting, with CEO Apoorva Mehta enforcing a profitability-first approach.
• He acknowledges that non-profitable films like the critically acclaimed Homebound may no longer be feasible under the new discipline.
• He maintains that creative control remains with Dharma’s leadership and says the company was profitable and debt-free before the partnership.