Dharma Productions is riding high on a wave of critical acclaim and audience love, with an impressive 21 nominations at the Filmfare Awards 2025. The production house took to social media to celebrate, tweeting: “It wouldn’t be wrong to say that your love for our stories has been ‘KILL’ing us… making every nomination, every beat of Bad Newz, and every Jigra moment feel even more magical.”
At the forefront of this nomination sweep is "Kill", racking up 12 nods, including Best Director for Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. The high-octane action thriller, set entirely on a moving train, redefined the genre with relentless pacing and inventive choreography—an environment that data suggests boosts audience engagement by 30% compared to traditional static settings. Kill marks a significant shift for Dharma into grittier, risk-taking narratives that depart from its legacy of glossy romances.
Bad Newz, with its viral soundtrack—particularly the chart-topping "Tauba Tauba"—also earned major recognition, further cementing Dharma’s ability to blend humor, music, and emotion into commercially successful stories. Meanwhile, Jigra garnered acclaim for Alia Bhatt’s powerful lead performance, proving the studio’s strength in crafting character-driven dramas that resonate emotionally while still packing a visual punch.
These nominations come on the heels of Dharma’s game-changing strategic pivot in 2024, when Adar Poonawalla acquired a 50% stake in the company for ₹1000 crore. Under Karan Johar’s leadership, this financial infusion has translated into a bolder, genre-diverse slate that’s clearly paying off both critically and commercially. With action, drama, and music-driven narratives all earning nods, Dharma is no longer just a "romance factory"—it's a dynamic storytelling powerhouse.