Disney Orders 20 Episodes From Dhar Mann Studios in New Original Content Deal
The Walt Disney Company has struck an original content deal with Dhar Mann Studios, kicking off with an initial order of 20 episodes produced for kids, tweens, teens and families. The agreement was announced on 21 August 2026, according to Deadline.
Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer of The Walt Disney Company, and Debra OConnell, Chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, issued a joint statement about the deal. The specific terms beyond the initial 20-episode order have not been publicly disclosed.
Dhar Mann Studios is a digital-native production company with more than 170 million followers globally and nearly 300 million views each week across platforms. The studio produces short-form narrative videos — bite-sized, character-driven stories, often centred on moral lessons — that have built a massive audience on social media. Beyond its own channels, Dhar Mann Studios distributes original programming through partners including Samsung TV Plus, where it operates a FAST channel — a free, ad-supported streaming channel that runs on a linear-style schedule rather than on-demand.
The studio has also worked with brands including Adobe, the NFL and Gap, and has expanded beyond self-published content into traditional media partnerships. In January 2026, Dhar Mann Studios struck a similar pact with Fox Entertainment, calling for an initial slate of 40 individual narrative videos. The Disney deal adds a second major broadcast-group partner within eight months.
For Disney, the agreement brings a creator with a built-in audience of tens of millions into its content pipeline for younger viewers and families. The 20-episode order is modest by network standards but aligns with how Disney has tested new creator partnerships — starting with a contained batch before committing to larger slates. Whether the initial order expands will depend on how the episodes perform on Disney's platforms, which the company has not yet specified.
Dhar Mann Studios' move from social platforms into deals with Fox and now Disney reflects a broader pattern in the entertainment business: established media companies are increasingly licensing content from digital creators who already have the audiences traditional studios spend years trying to build.
