Netflix Negotiates Content Deal With Bollywood Stalwart Karan Johar

The deal with Karan Johar, a leading filmmaker and TV personality in Bollywood, is the latest as Netflix continues its ambitious bid to build its local content offerings in India.

Netflix added that the partnership would “create a broad range of new fiction and non-fiction series and films exclusively for Netflix members.” No further details on projects were given.

Johar’s credits include box office hits such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Raazi. He also hosts the popular Koffee With Karan talk show that airs on the Disney-owned Star India network. Netflix and Johar first worked together in 2018 on the anthology Lust Stories, which also featured films by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee. Johar is part of the upcoming horror anthology Ghost Stories and also producing the upcoming Netflix film Guilty.

“I am incredibly excited about our partnership with Karan Johar — one of India’s greatest modern storytellers,” said Netflix International Originals VP, Bela Bajaria, adding, “Netflix, Johar and Dharmatic Entertainment will have all the creative freedom and support they need to create pioneering dramas and unscripted series — as well as films — for our members all over the world.”

“I’m super excited about the projects we already have in development and the limitless possibilities ahead,” said Johar. “To create universal stories from India that the world discovers is an incredible and unprecedented opportunity.”

Besides Dharmatic, the streamer burgeoning partnerships with leading Bollywood players includes Shah Rukh Khan’s banner Red Chillies Entertainment, which has produced the spy thriller Bard of Blood, poised for worldwide release on Sept. 27.