Karan Johar sells 50 pc stake in Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla.

Karan Johar Sells 50 pc Stake In Dharma Productions To Adar Poonawalla

by Utkalika Mohanty

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Since last few days speculations were doing rounds that Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is in loss and he is looking to sell some of his stakes to Mukesh Ambani led Reliance industries.

Mumbai, Oct 21: Since last few days speculations were doing rounds that Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is in loss and he is looking to sell some of his stakes to Mukesh Ambani led Reliance industries.

However it’s not Reliance but Adar Poonawala led Serene Productions that acquired a fifty percent stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma. On Monday, 21st October Karan Johar’s Dharma and Adar Poonawalla’s Serene Entertainment released a joint statement stating “Adar Poonawalla led Serene Productions today announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to invest INR 1,000 crore into Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Dharmatic Entertainment (collectively, “Dharma”), India’s leading production house. Through this investment, Serene Productions will hold a 50% stake in Dharma, with Karan Johar retaining the remaining 50% ownership. Karan Johar as the Executive Chairman will spearhead the company's creative vision, while Apoorva Mehta, in his role as the Chief Executive Officer, will work with Karan in steering the strategic direction and overseeing the operational excellence of the organization. Speaking about the same, Adar Poonawalla, said, "I am delighted to have the opportunity to partner with one of the most iconic production houses in our nation, along with my friend Karan Johar. We hope to build and grow Dharma and scale even greater heights in the years to come."

Commenting on the partnership, Karan Johar, Executive Chairman of Dharma, stated, "From its inception, Dharma Productions has been synonymous with heartfelt storytelling that captures the essence of Indian culture. My father dreamed of creating films that would leave a lasting impact, and I've dedicated my career to expanding that vision. Today, as we join forces with Adar, a close friend and an exceptional visionary and innovator, we're poised to elevate Dharma's legacy to new heights. This partnership represents a perfect blend of our emotional storytelling prowess and forward-thinking business strategies.”

Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma, said, "Over the years, I've witnessed Dharma's transformation into a multi-faceted content powerhouse. This partnership with Adar realizes our vision and marks a new era where cinema, streaming, and global content converge. It enables us to explore new avenues in content creation and distribution, elevating the Indian entertainment ecosystem. More importantly, this investment allows us to take bigger creative steps."

IANS

Read Entertainment News

Machilipatnam Medical College Named After Indian Flag's Designer Pingali Venkaiah

by Hemanta Pande

Amaravati, Oct 21: The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday renamed the Government Medical College, Machilipatnam, as Sri Pingali Venkaiah Government Medical College as a tribute to the designer of the Indian flag.

Special Chief Secretary, Health, Medical & Family Welfare, M.T. Krishna Babu issued a Government Order (GO) to this effect on the proposal by the Director of Medical Education.

"Taking into consideration, the yeoman services done by Sri Pingali Venkaiah to the state/nation and to honour his legacy and fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the people of Machilipatnam, the government, after careful examination of the matter, hereby rename the Government Medical, Machilipatnam as Sri Pingali Venkaiah Government Medical College, Machilipatnam in a befitting tribute to Sri Pingali Venkaiah, freedom fighter and architect of the Indian flag,” reads the GO.

In an order issued on August 29, the government had decided to change the name of 10 medical colleges into generic names. These government medical colleges include the Government Medical College, Machilipatnam.

Venkaiah, a farmer, geologist, and lecturer at the Andhra National College in Machilipatnam, was born on August 2, 1876, at Bhatlapenumarru, near Machilipatnam. Designing a national flag for India was his ambition. In 1916, he published a booklet titled `A National Flag for India`, offering 30-odd designs of what could develop into the Indian flag.

Venkaiah met Mahatma Gandhi during an extraordinary session of the All India Congress Committee held in Vijayawada in 1921 and presented his version of the national flag. He was popularly known as 'Japan Venkaiah' for his fluency in Japanese. He was also known as Patti Venkaiah because of his research into Cambodia Cotton.

Venkaiah passed away in 1963 in oblivion with his contributions forgotten. It was only in 2009 that a postage stamp was released in his honour. Vijayawada station of the All India Radio was named after him in 2014. His name was also proposed for the Bharat Ratna in 2021 by then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

--IANS

Read National News

Watch: Viral 'Fanta Anda Bhurji' Irks Netizens

by Utkalika Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: Egg bhurji (Anda Bhurji) is perhaps one of the most popular breakfast dishes consumed across all households in India. Butter, cheese, vegetables are the ingredients people like to add to their bhurji. But have you heard of Fanta being added to it?

One such viral video doing the rounds on Instagram shows a street vendor cooking eggs in Fanta.
In the viral video, we see the vendor emptying a bottle of the fizzy, orange-flavoured drink in a hot pan, followed by cracking six eggs in it. The video has gone viral and has clocked a whopping 176 million views.

After putting the eggs in the pan, the vendor adds some salt and mixes it all to get a milky-orange colour. Once the eggs are cooked a bit, he chops and adds a tomato, onion, green chillies and some cilantro. Once the Fanta liquid has mostly dried up, he transfers the 'orange anda bhurji' to a plate made of dried leaves.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Subrata Samaddar (@foodandstreett)

Social media users had plenty to say. One viewer expressed shock, commenting, “I was trying to trust the process, but what the hell, man?”

Another joked, “Enjoy your dinner, it might be your last,” while one more remarked, “You will get cancer before you eat it.” The quirky concoction also drew humorous suggestions, with one person quipping, “If you don’t want to eat anymore, just watch these videos.”

This isn’t the first time a soft drink has been used to cook eggs in India. A street vendor in Surat previously went viral for a dish he called "Fanta Fry," where he prepared an omelette using three eggs, added boiled eggs, and served the unusual creation with bread. Surprisingly, the vendor claimed the dish came about due to public demand.

Read National News

Odisha: NRTS & Primary Scholarship Exam Postponed Due To Cyclone ‘Dana’

by Hemanta Pande

Cuttack, Oct 21: In view of the impending cyclonic storm 'Dana', the NRTS & Primary Scholarship Examination 2024 in Odisha, scheduled to be held on October 23 and 25, has been postponed until further orders, officials said on Monday.

The Board of Secondary Education, Odisha, Cuttack issued a notification in this regard.

“In view of the Mid Weather Bulletin dated 20/10/24 issued by the IMD, Govt of India and subsequent press release by the SRC, Govt of Odisha regarding Cyclonic disturbance likely to develop over Bay of Bengal during 21st to 26th October, 2024, the NRTS & Primary Scholarship examination, 2024 scheduled to be held on 23rd & 25th October, 2024 respectively are hereby postponed until further orders. The fresh date for conduct of the said examinations will be notified late,” the notification reads.

“However the date of the evaluation of Answer Book of D.EI.ED Examination, 2024 is rescheduled to commence from 5 November, 2024,” it added.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today predicted the ensuing Cyclone Dana may make a landfall between Odisha's Puri and West Bengal's Sagar Island during night of October 24 and early morning of October 25.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at many places with thunderstorms and lightning in costal district districts during the period, the IMD predicted.

Karan Johar sells 50 pc stake in Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla.

Download Mobile App