Steven Spielberg's movie studio DreamWorks SKG is said to be near to agreement to get $550 million (£280.3 million) in funding from Indian billionaire Anil Ambani, which would allow it to split from media giant Viacom.

DreamWorks partners Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg sold the studio to Viacom for $1.6 billion in 2006, but the deal has not been a happy one, with Spielberg clashing with Viacom's Paramount boss Brad Grey.

The cash injection from Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group would give Spielberg the backing he needs to leave the marriage.

Neither Viacom nor DreamWorks would make any comment.

Under the terms of the agreement, Spielberg and Stacey Snider, DreamWorks SKG's chief executive, can leave Paramount 60 days after Geffen resigns at the end of August.

The company would need a new distributor after the split, and General electric's Universal Pictures is tipped as a likely candidate.

Under Paramount, DreamWorks SKG produced "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", which was the third-best box-office performer this year, with $314.5 million in US ticket sales alone.

Katzenberg, who is chief executive of DreamWorks Animation SKG, a separate studio, would not see his distribution agreement with Paramount affected by any split between Spielberg and Viacom.