Filmmaker Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has sealed a "creative partnership" with Fox Star Studios by inking a deal to produce nine films over a period of three years.

Under the partnership, Dharma and Fox Star Studios will co-produce and distribute films worldwide.

With the deal, Fox Star Studios, which is a vertical of entertainment conglomerate Star India, has formed a unique creative and business partnership, read a statement. Fox Star Studios, a movie production and distribution company, is a joint venture between 20th Century Fox and Star India.

Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India, feels that the union will pave way for a shift in "content quality paradigm" and take Indian entertainment content to the world.

"The Indian film industry is an important market for us and this strategic partnership offers us an excellent opportunity to fundamentally change the content quality paradigm. This venture is the natural step in our progression to create entertaining and eclectic content for a global audience and to grow the business through game-changing innovation in content, marketing and distribution," Shankar said in a statement.

Karan, who has made mass entertainers like "My Name Is Khan" and "Student of the Year", also notes that the partnership blends cinematic art and commercial aspect of filmmaking in an apt way.


"Movies for me have always been a blend of artistic and commercial resources. Dharma Productions has always endeavoured to attain the highest form of celluloid excellence and entertain simultaneously. I am glad we have found a partner in Star India and Fox Star Studios for a visionary nine films alliance," said Karan.

Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions, said: "It is by far the biggest collaboration that the Indian film industry has ever seen. With this strategic deal, Dharma has entered into a new phase of movie business which will provide a disruptive growth model for all the parties involved".

Fox Star and Dharma will collaborate and work towards the entire slate of nine films which boasts of a stellar line up of titles, helmed by the country's well known directors, including Karan.