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It's difficult to believe that Shripal and Shreyas Morakhia will ultimately sell off their thriving broking business - SSKI and Sharekhan - and focus on their film production and distribution business, iDream Production, instead. Sharekhan is one of the top five retail broking houses. A DNA story says that much: "Promoters Shripal and Shreyas Morakhia are said to be mulling a gradual dilution of their stakes (in SSKI) so that they can give greater attention to their film distribution and production business through iDream Production."

DNA further reports, quoting sources, that that private equity firm General Atlantic and Vivek Paul (now a partner with Texas Pacific Group) have invested Rs 100 crore each in Sharekhan, the retail broking subsidiary of SSKI. But this is not confirmed by either parties. Medai had earlier reported an impending private equity investment in Sharekhan from Vivek Paul. The company had already received funding from HSBC Private Equity Management, the Carlyle Group and Intel Capital back in 2000.

However, Jaideep Arora, a director of Sharekhan, said the promoters will not sell out. “The promoters are fully committed to both the financial services and films businesses,” he said. Shripal Morakhia started iDream in 2001 with the distribution of Monsoon Wedding, and later Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham. It has also produced films like Samay and Naina.

Related:

Vivek Paul To Make First Move For Texas Pacific Group In India: A Stake In Broking Firm Sharekhan

General Atlantic Looking At Sharekhan, New Vernon Eyeing Motilal Oswal