Amid acquisition reports, Karan Johar stops pre-release film screening for scribes

Amid speculations over Dharma Productions’ acquisition by Saregama, filmmaker-producer Karan Johar on Monday announced a stop on pre-release screenings.

In a statement, Karan Johar said he has taken the “difficult decision to maintain the cinematic experience for all”. The statement by the production house was signed by Karan and Apoorva Mehta. It was addressed to "dear members of the media".

On August 10, e4m was the first to report that the production house was looking for investors. On Monday, e4m reported again that Saregama , an RP Sanjiv Goenka group company, is contemplating acquiring Johar’s firm.

“For years, rather decades, you have firmly stood by us at Dharma Productions , supporting our films, sharing our dreams, and celebrating our victories. Your faith in us has been a driving force throughout our journey, and we'd like to take this moment to extend our deepest and heartfelt gratitude to you all. Each coverage, review, and feedback has been invaluable to us, and they have undeniably helped us make our films reach audiences far and wide,” read the note to the media fraternity.

The statement further stated, "As we continue to evolve, we find ourselves at a juncture where we must adapt and innovate our approach. After much deliberation, we've unanimously decided to forgo pre-release screenings for our upcoming films. This decision has been difficult to make, however, we believe it's a necessary step in ensuring that every viewer, including our friends in the media, witness our stories as they were meant to be experienced. We believe it will help in maintaining the excitement of the cinematic experience for all."

While Dharma and Saregama both remained tight-lipped and repeated attempts to get their version didn’t yield any results, sources suggest that the music company seeks to acquire a majority stake in the esteemed production and distribution house.