Meet The Woman Leading MS Dhoni’s Rs 800-Crore Business Empire From Behind The Scenes — And No, It’s Not His Wife Sakshi | People

Meet the Woman Who Shares CEO Duties with Sakshi Dhoni—The Family Force Behind MS Dhoni’s Entertainment Powerhouse

Sheila Singh doesn’t chase the spotlight. In fact, unless you’re deeply plugged into the corridors of India’s evolving entertainment business, her name may not ring a bell. But behind the scenes of one of the country’s most recognisable sporting legends, she’s quietly commanding the show—one production slate, one budget line, and one greenlit script at a time.

Yes, we’re talking about Sakshi Singh Dhoni’s mother, and MS Dhoni’s mother-in-law—a former homemaker from Dehradun who’s gone from running a household to co-running a company with a valuation upwards of Rs 800 crore. Not quite your usual corporate narrative, is it?

Yet in a world where celebrity businesses often fizzle out after a few Instagram-friendly product launches and half-baked endorsements, Dhoni Entertainment Private Limited is steadily becoming a case study in how to build a brand that lasts. And a significant portion of that credit goes to Sheila Singh—the matriarch-turned-CEO whose unlikely boardroom rise is as intriguing as it is inspiring.

A Family Affair, But With Strategy

In 2020, MS Dhoni made a move that raised eyebrows in business circles. He officially named both his wife Sakshi and his mother-in-law Sheila Singh as CEOs of Dhoni Entertainment. While the decision might have seemed sentimental at first glance, insiders say it was anything but. The goal? To keep the company’s vision anchored within the family—while banking on the women’s practical, detail-driven approach to management.

The venture itself had launched a year earlier, in 2019, but it was in these early days of joint leadership that things truly began to take shape. The company’s debut film—**a Tamil-language sci-fi-meets-mythology flick titled Let’s Get Married—**hit the screens in 2023. Despite a lukewarm critical reception, it served as an important launchpad, marking Dhoni Entertainment’s serious intentions in the cinematic world.

From Dehradun’s Drawing Room to Mumbai’s Boardroom

Long before film budgets and production schedules became part of her daily routine, Sheila Singh’s world revolved around home, hearth and family. Her husband, RK Singh, was posted at the Binaguri Tea Estate under the Kanoi Group—incidentally, the same estate where Dhoni’s father worked as a pump operator. That shared background created the bond that would eventually tie the two families closer together.

When Sakshi married Dhoni in 2010, Sheila had already proven herself to be a fiercely capable presence in her daughter’s life. The idea of stepping into a corporate role might have sounded unusual to some—but to those familiar with her organisational skills, quick wit, and unwavering calm, it was a natural evolution.

“Sheila-ji has the temperament of a school principal,” a production insider once joked. “Fair, efficient, and just strict enough to get things moving.”

Building the Rs 800-Crore Machine

Fast forward to the present day, and Dhoni Entertainment is no longer a passion project—it’s a full-blown creative house with a multi-pronged portfolio. From regional films and Hindi web series to animated features for kids and upcoming docu-dramas based on sports, the company is spreading its wings far beyond what anyone might have predicted five years ago.

At the centre of it all is a rare kind of intergenerational partnership—Sakshi and Sheila sharing executive duties, balancing each other out. While Sakshi holds a majority share, Sheila wears multiple hats: CEO, advisor, operational anchor, and often, the de facto HR. Her contributions may not make headlines, but they’re instrumental in shaping the company’s growth trajectory.

A Quiet Force with a Steady Hand

Unlike many celebrity CEOs, Sheila Singh doesn’t chase media coverage. In fact, she’s rarely photographed at public events and prefers to let the company’s work speak for itself. Those who work with her describe her as low-key but deeply involved, someone who can spot inefficiencies at a glance and doesn’t hesitate to pull the brakes if something doesn’t sit right.

“She doesn’t raise her voice,” says one junior writer who worked on an early OTT pitch. “But when she says something, everyone listens. She has this calm authority that you don’t question.”

Her secret? Years of managing people, emotions, and expectations—not in boardrooms, but in living rooms and kitchens. It’s that unofficial MBA in life management that she now channels into corporate leadership.

Fun Fact: Dosas and Deadlines

If you happen to walk into Dhoni Entertainment’s Mumbai office on a Friday afternoon, you might be treated to a slightly unusual sight. Alongside whiteboards and scripts in progress, you’ll find plates of homemade dosas and cups of chai doing the rounds. It’s Sheila’s way of keeping the workplace grounded, familial, and free from the cold sterility often found in production houses.

This mix of warmth and discipline has led to an unusually low attrition rate, say insiders, and a creative environment that attracts fresh talent. From first-time directors to regional screenwriters, the company has quietly built a reputation for nurturing new voices—and Sheila, reportedly, is always the first to read a pitch that comes from “outside the big circles.”

What’s Next for the Empire?

As of 2025, the roadmap for Dhoni Entertainment is packed. There are plans for multi-language thrillers, biographical sports dramas, and family-oriented OTT shows aimed at the tier-2 and tier-3 markets. With streaming platforms hungry for authentic Indian stories, the timing couldn’t be more opportune.

And at the heart of this momentum is a woman who once imagined her days would be spent in the gardens of Assam, sipping chai and doting on grandchildren.

Instead, Sheila Singh now spends her days balancing budgets, refining story arcs, and helping shape what could become one of India’s most formidable celebrity-backed studios.

Why Her Story Matters

Sheila Singh’s journey is a reminder that leadership doesn’t always come wearing suits and speaking startup jargon. Sometimes, it arrives in a cotton saree, with sharp eyes and years of unspoken wisdom. She’s proof that entrepreneurship can take root in the most unexpected places—and that behind every successful brand, there may be a woman quietly ensuring the gears turn just right.

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