‘Filmmakers Need To Be Brave’Farhan Akhtar is going the Karan Johar way.

His production banner Excel Entertainment is selling a 30 per cent stake to Universal Music Group (UMG).

The announcement comes as Excel Entertainment marks its 25th anniversary with Dil Chahta Hai, which also marked Farhan’s debut as a director.

“We have always believed that Indian stories do not need permission to exist globally. They do not need to be palatable or to be designed to fit any mould. They need to be truthful and the people making them need to be brave,” Farhan said, addressing the media.

Calling the partnership “meaningful”, Farhan stressed that this isn’t a calculated business strategy as much as it is a “creative alignment”.

“Partnering with them is not about logistics and reach. It is about helping us to be better storytellers. It is about them helping us to find new pools to that we can jump into together and take the first steps into,” Farhan said.

Earlier in 2024, Karan Johar made a surprising move as he sold a 50 per cent stake in Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment to Adar Poonawalla’s Serene Productions for Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion).

Excel’s latest deal marks yet another big move for a Hindi production house.

The announcement was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who called the move “significant” to boost India’s creative economy.

“A global leader in music has chosen to deepen its engagement in India through a creator-led homegrown studio based in Mumbai sends a very powerful signal that India’s creative economy has come of age and our talent is global ready, and that Mumbai is no longer just participating in global media ecosystem, but is actively shaping it,” Fadanvis said.

The collaboration gives UMG-owned Universal Music India rights for global distribution of all future original soundtracks from projects made under Excel Entertainment.

The banner is known for churning out memorable titles over the years, including Lakshya, the Don franchise, Rock On!!!, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Gully Boy, alongside acclaimed streaming shows such as Inside Edge, Mirzapur, Made in Heaven, and Dahaad.