US EditionFarhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment Strikes Historic Deal with Universal Music Group, Market Value Crosses ₹2400 Crore
Universal Music India invests $267 million for 30% stake in Excel Entertainment, securing global rights to original soundtracks and launching a dedicated music label.
- On Monday, Universal Music India agreed to acquire a 30% equity stake in Excel Entertainment, valuing the Mumbai-based studio at INR2,400 crores.
- To capture growth, the companies cited India’s audience scale—more than 375 million OTT viewers and 650 million smartphone users—as a key opportunity, and UMG pursued the stake to strengthen its position in India’s music-driven screen economy.
- Under the pact, UMI will secure global distribution rights for all future Excel soundtracks and Universal Music Publishing Group will become Excel’s exclusive publishing partner, while Sanyal joins Excel’s board.
- The deal immediately strengthens UMG’s foothold in India, the world’s 15th-largest music market, while Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar retain creative oversight and UMG artists gain feature opportunities.
- Details on the new Excel music label and forthcoming soundtracks will be announced in the months ahead, positioning the pact as a leading industry story for 2026 amid growing soundtrack consumption.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Los Angeles Times
Times West VirginianUniversal Music invests $80 million in Bollywood production company
Universal Music India is set to purchase 30% of a Bollywood production company, Excel, in the hopes of increasing their presence in the fast-growing South Asian market.
Universal Music Acquires 30 Percent Stake in India’s Excel Entertainment
As part of the deal, which values Excel at $290 million, Universal Music Group will receive global rights to all future original soundtracks attached to projects produced by the fast-growing Indian company.
Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment strikes historic deal with Universal Music Group, market value crosses ₹2400 crore
Under the deal, Excel Entertainment's value will cross ₹2,400 crore and will accelerate the Farhan Akhtar-owned banner, while also strengthening Universal Music India’s domestic operation in a high- growth and strategically important market.
Times of India
The Economic TimesUniversal Music acquires 30% stake in Excel Entertainment
Universal Music Group has acquired a 30% stake in Excel Entertainment. This deal values the Bollywood production house at ₹2,400 crore. Excel Entertainment will retain creative control. UMG gains a strategic foothold in the video business. This partnership aims to take culturally rooted stories globally. It highlights a renewed wave of consolidation in the media industry.
Universal Music Takes 30% Stake in India’s Excel Entertainment With $267 Million Deal
Universal Music Group’s Indian division has secured a significant minority stake in one of Bollywood’s leading production houses, gaining global soundtrack rights in the process, it was confirmed on Monday. Universal Music India has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 30% equity stake in Excel Entertainment, valuing the Mumbai-based film and digital content […]
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