Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian film production and distribution company established by Yash Johar in 1976. It was taken over in 2004, after his death, by his son, Karan Johar. Based in Mumbai, it mainly produces and distributes Hindi films.
In July 2016, a new sector of the company was launched called Dharma 2.0, which focuses on producing advertising commercials. Another subsidiary of the studio was created in November 2018, called Dharmatic Entertainment, which produces film and television content for online distribution platforms.
History 1980–1998 The company's first production was Raj Khosla's Dostana (1980), starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, and Zeenat Aman. The film was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of the year.
The company then went on to produce Duniya (1984) and Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987), neither of which performed well at the box office. This was followed by Agneepath (1990), which did not emerge as a commercial success at that time but was later regarded as a cult film. It also won a National Film Award for its lead actor, Amitabh Bachchan. The company's next two films, Gumrah (1993) and Duplicate (1998), which were both directed by Mahesh Bhatt, met with moderate success at the box office.
1998–2009 In 1998, the same year as Duplicate, Dharma Productions also released the romantic comedy-drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which was the directorial debut of Karan Johar, the son of Yash Johar, owner of the production company. The film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, and Salman Khan, proved to be a phenomenal success, and this opened a whole new chapter in the history of the company. The film won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and the Filmfare Award for Best Film.
The company's next film was Karan Johar's family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), featuring an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor. This was followed by Nikhil Advani's romantic comedy-drama Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), starring Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Preity Zinta. Both of these films earned widespread critical acclaim and emerged as major commercial successes, ranking as the top domestic and overseas earners in their respective release years.
Dharma's next release was the natural horror film Kaal (2005), which received mixed reviews from critics.
This was followed by Karan Johar's musical romantic drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), featuring an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, and Kirron Kher. Exploring themes of marital infidelity, emotional dissatisfaction, and dysfunctional relationships, the film opened to mixed-to-positive reviews from critics and audiences upon release; moreover, it emerged as a major commercial success at the domestic box office and became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time overseas at the time of its release. It has since been regarded as a cult classic and ahead of its time due to its central theme, storyline, and characterizations.
Dharma's next release was Tarun Mansukhani's commercially successful romantic comedy Dostana (2008), starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, and Priyanka Chopra. This was followed by Ayan Mukerji's coming-of-age comedy-drama Wake Up Sid (2009) starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor, and Rensil D'Silva's counter-terrorism thriller Kurbaan (2009) starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.
2010–present
Dharma's first release of 2018 was Meghna Gulzar's spy thriller Raazi, starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, based on Harinder Sikka's novel Calling Sehmat. The film emerged as a critical and commercial success. Later that year came Shashank Khaitan's romance Dhadak (2018), which launched the careers of lead actors Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor. This was an adaptation of the Marathi film Sairat (2016). In November 2018, a new sector of the company was introduced called Dharmatic, focusing on producing digital content for online distribution.
In 2019, Anurag Singh's Kesari, a period drama based on the Battle of Saragarhi, starred Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra in lead roles. The film earned Rs. 200 crores worldwide in the box office and is currently Kumar's highest-grossing film.
Dharma released the biopic Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl starring Jahnvi Kapoor in the lead on August 12, 2020. On 12 August 2021, it released the biographical film based on the life of Capt. Vikram Batra, Shershaah, which won several accolades, including the National Film Award – Special Jury Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Film.
In 2024, Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, acquired a 50% stake in Karan Johar's Dharma Productions for approximately ₹1000 crore.
Filmography
Dharmatic Entertainment In November 2018, Dharma Productions launched a new subsidiary called Dharmatic Entertainment. Johar revealed the focus of the division would be on developing and producing digital content for online distribution platforms. He furthermore announced that he and Apoorva Mehta, who also serves as the chief executive officer of Dharma Productions, would be jointly heading the unit with Somen Mishra (head of creative development at the parent company) and former journalist Aneesha Baig heading and overseeing fiction and non-fiction content.
In September 2019, Dharmatic Entertainment signed a multi-year exclusive content deal with Netflix India under which the studio would develop and produce a range of fictional and non-fictional series and films for the streaming platform, which would be released as originals.
Film Year Title Director Platform Producer(s) Notes 2020 Guilty Ruchi Narain Netflix Karan JoharApoorva Mehta Debut production venture 2021 Ajeeb Daastaans Shashank KhaitanRaj MehtaNeeraj GhaywanKayoze Irani Anthology film Searching for Sheela Shakun Batra Karan JoharApoorva MehtaSomen Mishra Documentary film on Ma Anand Sheela Meenakshi Sundareshwar Vivek Soni Romantic comedy 2024 Ae Watan Mere Watan Kannan Iyer Amazon Prime Video Biographical film 2025 Nadaaniyan Shauna Gautam Netflix Karan JoharApoorva MehtaSomen MishraAdar Poonawalla Romantic comedy Aap Jaisa Koi Vivek Soni Romantic drama 2026 Accused Anubhuti Kashyap Thriller drama
Television Year Title Director Platform Producer(s) Notes 2020—present Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives Uttam Domale Netflix Karan JoharAneesha Baig Ankur PoddarHetvi Karia Apoorva MehtaReality series 2022The Fame GameSri Rao Bejoy Nambiar Karishma KohliKaran Johar Apoorva Mehta Mystery family drama 2022—present Koffee with Karan Jahnvi Obhan Disney Plus Hotstar Karan Johar Apoorva Mehta Aneesha Baig Talk show (season 7–) 2024Showtime Mihir Desai Archit Kumar Karan Johar Apoorva Mehta Somen MishraDramaLove Storiyaan Rahul Badwelkar Collin D'Cunha Akshay Indikar Shazia Iqbal Hardik Mehta Archana Phadke Vivek Soni Amazon Prime Video Documentary seriesGyaarah Gyaarah Umesh BistZEE5 Karan JoharApoorva MehtaGuneet MongaAchin Jain Remake of Signal (South Korean TV series) Call Me BaeColin D'CunhaAmazon Prime VideoKaran JoharApoorva MehtaSomen MishraComedy drama The TribeOmkar PotdarKaran JoharApoorva MehtaAneesha BaigReality series 2025 Do You Wanna PartnerArchit KumarColin D'CunhaKaran JoharAdar PoonawallaApoorva MehtaComedy drama
References Footnotes
External links Official website