After Dharma split, Bunty Sajdeh partners with Armour Entertainment; Tiger Shroff first signing

After parting ways with Karan Johar-led Dharma Productions, talent manager Bunty Sajdeh has entered into a new strategic partnership with Armour Entertainment, marking a reset in his approach to the entertainment and talent management business.

Cornerstone, one of India’s leading brand and talent management firms founded by Sajdeh, on Tuesday announced a strategic alliance with Armour Entertainment, led by industry professional Prarthana Ajmani. Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff has been signed as the first talent under the partnership, signalling the alliance’s ambitions to build a focused and future-ready talent ecosystem.

The collaboration comes at a time of transition within the entertainment industry, with agencies re-evaluating long-term talent representation, brand building and career management models. Sajdeh and Ajmani said the partnership aims to create a streamlined and integrated vertical that places emphasis on structure, longevity and sustained talent development across film, sport and allied mediums.

Under the alliance, Cornerstone’s experience in building commercially successful talent across sports and entertainment will combine with Armour Entertainment’s specialised management capabilities. Armour, led by Ajmani, brings over 15 years of experience working closely with leading actors, along with deep industry relationships and a reputation for hands-on, talent-first management.

“The talent management approach in the West has always been clearly structured, with defined skill sets focused on long-term brand and wealth creation, alongside specialised representation,” Sajdeh, CEO of Cornerstone, said. “Both elements must work together to deliver maximum outcomes. I’ve known Prarthana for many years and admired her professionalism and strategic thinking, so joining hands was a natural decision.”

Ajmani said the partnership is aimed at building a system that is both future-ready and centred on talent. “Partnering with Cornerstone brings together two teams driven by excellence. Bunty’s strategic clarity and belief in my abilities have been important drivers of this collaboration,” she said.

As part of the alliance, the two firms have also launched CXA, a new-age entertainment and talent management agency formed as a joint venture between Cornerstone and Armour Entertainment. Co-founded by Sajdeh and Ajmani, CXA will focus on structured representation, brand building and long-term career management across entertainment, sports and related verticals.

The development follows a significant restructuring at Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA), the talent management firm that was jointly promoted by Sajdeh’s Cornerstone and Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Dharma Productions, now jointly owned by Johar and Adar Poonawalla, recently acquired Cornerstone’s stake in the venture.

Following the acquisition, the agency is being rebranded as Dharma Collab Artists Agency (DCAA), which will operate independently of Sajdeh and expand its mandate to represent talent across films, music, sports, digital media and live entertainment.

With the split from Dharma now formalised, Sajdeh’s partnership with Armour Entertainment and the launch of CXA underline his renewed focus on building a specialised, long-term talent management platform at a time when the business of representation in India is becoming increasingly professionalised and global in outlook.