Bunty Sajdeh opens up on parting ways with Karan Johar after DCA exit

Earlier this week, Karan Johar announced that his banner Dharma Productions had acquired Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment’s stake in Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA), which used to be a joint venture between the filmmaker and talent manager Bunty Sajdeh. This marked the professional separation between the duo after a five-year run. Soon, Sajdeh’s Cornerstone partnered with Armour Entertainment to form CXA, a talent management agency. Meanwhile, Johar — in whose banner pharma tycoon Adar Poonawalla acquired a 50 per cent stake, in October 2024 — rebranded his talent agency as Dharma Collab Artists Agency (DCAA).   
  
Talking to mid-day, Sajdeh said that the split with Johar was amicable. “It was a circumstantial decision made in lieu of a large investment made in Dharma Productions last year that needed their ancillary businesses to be integrated with the parent company. So, Karan and I decided to part ways since Cornerstone is an independent entity. I prefer it to remain just that. We will now coexist in the industry as separate entities,” said Sajdeh, who has over two decades of expertise in celebrity management, and had Virat Kohli and KL Rahul among his clients. 

Tiger Shroff will be repped by Sajdeh’s newly formed talent agency, CXA

When announcing the split, Johar penned a note on Instagram explaining his decision. He wrote, “Dharma took a major step by selling stake and creating a large entertainment conglomerate. That move needed us to integrate all our verticals under one large umbrella. Bunty and I mutually agreed to part ways and yet keep our strong friendship and equation exactly the way it’s always been.”

When Sajdeh and Johar formed DCA in 2020, the talent agency became one of the leading players in the film business. Sharing that collaborating with the multi-hyphenate influenced him deeply, Sajdeh said, “I have learned so much from Karan professionally — people skills for one. Time management is another art I need to master from him. He will continue to be my close friend, and I know he will be there for me.”

DCA used to rep: (L-R) Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur and Sara Ali Khan

Now Sajdeh’s focus is on building CXA with Prarthana Ajmani. “Since DCA has been acquired by Dharma, they get complete ownership of all assets. CXA will provide a 360 degree approach to acquisition and servicing of films, brands, and events.”