Universal Music's stake in Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment boosts studio's value to ₹2400 crore

Universal Music Group has acquired a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment, valuing Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's production house at ₹2400 crore.

Updated on: Jan 5, 2026, 13:05:23 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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Universal Music India (UMI), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, formally announced that it has entered into an agreement with Indian production house Excel Entertainment. Universal has acquired a 30% stake in Excel, owned by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. The investment values Excel at ₹2400 crore ($266 million), making it one of the most valuable Indian production houses around.

Universal Music Group has acquired a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment.

Universal group enters into partnership with Excel

The partnership was announced on Monday morning at a press conference attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with the leadership from both companies.

Under the terms of the agreement, UMG will gain global distribution rights for all future original soundtracks created for projects owned or controlled by Excel. The alliance also includes the launch of a dedicated Excel music label, to be globally distributed by UMG. Universal Music Publishing Group will also become Excel’s exclusive music publishing partner.

According to a press release shared by spokespersons for Excel, the company’s founders Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar “will continue to shape creative direction and content decisions.” Devraj Sanyal – Chairman and CEO of Universal Music India & South Asia and SVP of Strategy, Africa, Middle East and Asia – will serve on Excel Entertainment’s Board of Directors as part of the agreement.

(L-R): Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Javed Akhtar, Adam Granite, and Devraj Sanyal.

Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar said in a statement, “India’s entertainment landscape continues to grow from strength to strength, and this is the perfect moment to build meaningful global collaborations. We’re excited to partner with UMG in what we believe will be a truly creative and transformative alliance—one that unlocks fresh opportunities for artists and repertoire across music, film, and emerging formats. Together, we aim to take culturally rooted stories to the world.”

Adam Granite, UMG’s CEO of Africa, Middle East and Asia (AMEA), said, “Today’s announcement further strengthens UMG’s position in India, a dynamic and strategically important music market for the group globally. Original soundtracks remain at the heart of India’s fast-growing music market, with Indian listeners showing a growing desire to access more music in that genre. By investing in and partnering with Excel Entertainment, UMG will be uniquely positioned to contribute from the earliest stage to Excel’s future endeavours and throughout the creative process, providing huge benefits to both parties. ”

About Excel Entertainment and Universal

Excel Entertainment began its journey 25 years ago with Dil Chahta Hai, which also marked Farhan’s debut as a director. Since then, Excel has delivered several big hits, including the Don franchise, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Gully Boy, and the Fukrey series. Over the last decade, Excel has successfully ventured into the OTT space with popular shows like Mirzapur, Made in Heaven, and Dahaad.

Universal Music Group, abbreviated as UMG, is a multinational entertainment conglomerate headquartered in California, with its corporate offices in the Netherlands. With an operational revenue of $11 billion in 2023, it is one of the world's biggest media corporations and is considered one of the "Big Three" record labels, along with Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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