‘Bou Bhuttu Bhuta’: Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions moves to acquire Odia cinema’s highest grosser - Reports

Bollywood, after adapting Marathi, Gujarati, and Southern films, is now focusing on the growing Odia film industry. The remake rights for the Odia movie ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’ are reportedly up for sale and are being acquired by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

Official announcement of rights acquisition

Dharma Productions Private Limited has officially announced its plans to acquire the remake rights for the hit Odia film ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’ (2025), featuring Babushaan Mohanty, Archita Sahu, and Aparajita Mohanty, according to a notice in Komal Nahta’s Film Information magazine by their Chief Legal Officer, Rakhee Bajpai Tiwari. The acquisition includes rights for remakes in all Indian and international languages, along with derivative rights, allowing the company to create, produce, distribute, and market remakes on various platforms. Additionally, the rights cover dubbing and subtitling the film permanently in any language worldwide.



Clear ownership and legal clarity

The notice also states that all intellectual property rights related to the film Bou Buttu Bhuta are vested solely in Babushaan Films Private Limited, with no outstanding claims or encumbrances from third parties. Any interested entities must submit their claims within 15 days of this notice; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of their rights.


Plot and popularity of ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’

‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’ is about Buttu, a fish farmer who lives in a village with his mother, Ratnamala, who is a sorceress. Buttu wants to leave the village to find a better job. One night, he gets possessed by a ghost named Amari, causing trouble for him, his mother, and his love interest, Rinki. The film mixes horror, thriller, and comedy, and became very popular after releasing on June 12, 2025. It earned a lot at the box office and attracted many fans.


Strategic expansion by Dharma Productions

Karan Johar has made the decision to acquire the remake rights for ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’ as part of its plan to broaden its portfolio beyond just Hindi films. This acquisition aims to bring the popular Odia film to a wider audience, potentially featuring a top Bollywood cast and a fresh director’s take to give the story nationwide recognition.


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