EXCLUSIVE: Dharma Cornerstone to split; Karan Johar, Bunty Sajdeh part ways

The talent management venture jointly run by Karan Johar and Bunty Sajdeh is headed for a formal split, with both sides preparing to operate their businesses independently, multiple people aware of the development told Storyboard18. The separation marks the end of the Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA), a high-profile partnership that reshaped the talent representation landscape in Bollywood since its launch in 2020.

Formal announcement of the breakup is expected shortly, sources said.

According to insiders, tensions between Johar and Sajdeh escalated after Adar Poonawalla’s Serene Productions acquired a 50% stake in Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment earlier this year. The ₹1,000-crore investment—one of the biggest in the entertainment sector—reshaped internal power equations and ultimately triggered the drift between the two founders of DCA.

Post the split, Dharma Cornerstone will be restructured under Dharma Creative Agency, people in the know said. Bunty Sajdeh, meanwhile, is set to continue independently.

The documentation process is underway and expected to take some time, sources added, noting that the finer details of the separation are still being finalised.

Launched as a strategic alliance between Johar’s Dharma Productions and Sajdeh’s Cornerstone, the Dharma Cornerstone Agency swiftly became a powerhouse in talent management. DCA represented some of India’s most prominent entertainment figures, including Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Tripti Dimri, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neha Kakkar, Jubin Nautiyal, and several next-gen celebrities such as Ibrahim Ali Khan and Shanaya Kapoor.

Uday Singh Gauri, CEO of Dharma Cornerstone did not comment on the matter.

Industry watchers say the relationship between Johar and Sajdeh began to strain shortly after Poonawalla’s high-value investment. The deal granted Serene Productions a 50% stake in Johar’s companies and positioned Karan Johar as Executive Chairman, while Apoorva Mehta continued as CEO.

The investment, although a major boost for Dharma’s production and digital ventures, reportedly added friction within the talent management joint venture. “Things were rough between Karan Johar and Bunty Sajdeh post the acquisition,” one person familiar with the matter said.

Bunty Sajdeh’s Arc in Talent Management

Bunty Sajdeh is regarded as one of India’s top talent managers, credited with shaping the commercial trajectory of sports and entertainment personalities for nearly two decades. He started his career at Percept Entertainment before moving to Globosport as head of entertainment.

In 2008, he founded Cornerstone, initially focused on sports, before branching into entertainment and eventually partnering with Dharma to form DCA. Sajdeh is best known for managing Virat Kohli for a decade and securing marquee brand deals that elevated Kohli’s commercial profile.

For Dharma, the rebranded Dharma Creative Agency is expected to consolidate talent representation around its in-house ecosystem, particularly as the company expands under the Poonawalla partnership. For Sajdeh, continuing with Cornerstone allows him to retain autonomy and focus on a roster that spans sports and entertainment.

Industry executives say the split signals a significant realignment in Bollywood’s talent management business, with both entities now set to compete independently in a rapidly evolving market.