RCB New Owners Revealed: Makers of Kantara to Take Over RCB Ahead of IPL 2026
IPL 2026 sees a major shift as Hombale Films joins RCB ownership. Bengaluru-based studio brings cinema creativity to cricket franchise.
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The widely recognized Bengaluru movie production company, Hombale Films, which is behind the triumphs of KGF, Kantara, and Salaar, is about to land the Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as its asset. This decision goes along with the report that Diageo India is planning to divest its franchise interest before IPL 2026.
According to the sources from the industry, the deal is going to be concluded by March 2026, which would grant Hombale Films the status of a co-owner and would further cement the Bengaluru sports and entertainment sectors’ local connection. Confirmations from the official side are still awaited, but many reports say that the production house is in good faith and in a strong position regarding the deal.
Started in 2012 by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda, Hombale Films has created a niche for itself in the Hindi mainstream with the films that reached the whole country. This company previously worked with RCB as their digital partner since 2023, making some entertaining content, and getting the fans involved, which all set the groundwork for a larger role in the franchise.
As co-owners, Hombale Films are expected to incorporate the art of narration and the marketing of the film into the operations of RCB, which may lead to a complete change in the way the team communicates with the audience and the way the matches are promoted.
RCB has also been targeted by other very wealthy investors like Nikhil Kamath (the co-founder of Zerodha), Adani Group, JSW Group, and Adar Poonawalla of the Serum Institute have all shown interest in the team. The decision on the final sale will determine the team’s ownership before IPL 2026 gets underway.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore, who ended up as the champions of the IPL 2025, have just disclosed the procedure of player retention for the mini auction. Their star players from the title-winning team still have contracts, but the other ones, like Liam Livingstone and Lungi Ngidi, are no longer with the team. It will be a new roster and a new ownership structure that will greatly influence RCB’s battles in the next season.
