The very best of Dharma Productions
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. One of Hindi cinema’s most prominent family-owned studios changed hands this week. A 50% stake in Dharma Productions — established in 1976 by Yash Johar, and subsequently run by his son Karan — was picked up by Adar Poonawala, CEO of the Serum Institute of India.
Over the years, Dharma has produced 63 films, featuring — and creating — major stars, while significantly raising the bar in terms of production values. As we wait to see what Dharma does next, here are my favourite films from that studio. 9. Kapoor & Sons (2016, streaming on Amazon Prime Video) Can we ever forget the scene with the plumber haplessly looking on while an entire family devolves into mayhem? Shakun Batra’s well-observed and amusing film may have erred on the side of melodrama, yet this is a fresh and atypical mainstream release.
The highlight remains Fawad Khan’s powerfully measured portrayal of a gay man struggling to come out to his family, a family entirely unequipped for that revelation. 8. Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003, Netflix/Prime Video) Nikhil Advani’s film may not have aged well — those Kantabai gags about straight men being mistaken for gay wouldn’t go down well today — but more than 20 years ago, this film changed the mainstream benchmark.
Kal Ho Naa Ho was as shiny and well produced as most Hollywood romances, plus it had Sonu Nigam at his most merciless. Not to mention Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan had the best and giggliest buddy chemistry. 7. Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012, Netflix) Shakun Batra’s first film was a glossy commercial film, a film that starred a bright-haired Kareena Kapoor but had the heart and spirit of an American indie.
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