CREDITS-
Photographer: Vaishnav Praveen
Stylist: Eka Lakhani
Hairstylist: Aalim Hakim
Make-up: Paresh Kalgutkar
Bags: Hermès
Shoes: Copper Mallet & Bottega Veneta
Sunglasses: Valentino, Loewe, Kuboraum (R Kumar Opticians), Chanel
Production: Niharika Singh of Studio Little Dumpling
Styling Assistants: Fatima Baluch, Rhea Sethi, Sharen Dhillon
Karan’s PR Agency: Hype PR
Managed by: Lenn S
Wardrobe: Falguni Shane Peacock
THE POP PHENOMENON – KARAN JOHAR
As I sit down to write this story, the aroma of freshly made “Kudge” wafts through my kitchen. I’ve just finished preparing a small batch and as it cools in my fridge, I can’t help but reflect on how sweetly—both literally and figuratively—Karan Johar influenced me to make his signature dessert. For those unfamiliar, Kudge is a portmanteau of “Karan” and “Fudge”, a playful name he coined for his favourite sweet treat, which I recently watched him prepare on YouTube.
It’s funny how Karan Johar has, in one way or another, influenced so many aspects of our lives. By “our lives”, I mean anyone who grew up watching Hindi cinema. I vividly remember being in fourth grade in school when I first saw Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It left me yearning for a love that could stand the test of time, just like the love portrayed by the protagonists. I told myself then, “It’s this or nothing.” A few years later, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham reinforced the message: it truly is all about loving your parents. (I may or may not have hugged them a little extra for the next few days after watching the film.) And when Kal Ho Naa Ho hit the screens, I dreamed of a love story that could last a lifetime.
Through his movies—and not just these iconic ones—Karan Johar taught us that having beautiful relationships with the love of your life, your parents and your friends isn’t a distant dream. These stories, often inspired by the people and moments around him, showed us that such connections could be real. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll find traces of his characters in the people around us. Isn’t that a full-circle moment?
Over the last decade or so, as Karan stepped in front of the camera just as often as he worked behind it, we all began to notice the man behind the magic. A diehard romantic at heart—reflected in his films—Karan is also a fighter who navigates the relentless noise around him and still goes on to create compelling stories. He’s someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, unapologetically. A sharp businessman who masterfully balances art and commerce. A filmmaker whose thirst for telling humane, relatable stories remains unquenchable. A loving son, devoted father and cherished friend to so many. He is also a pop cultural phenomenon, giving us countless milestone-worthy moments. And, of course, how can we not mention his impeccable sense of style and his love for fashion? A true trendsetter, he has redefined fashion in the industry with his sartorial choices.
Yes, I admit this introduction may sound star-struck—and it is! After all, I’m someone who grew up idolising his movies, which became my mood board for romance. I’ve devoured every interview of his, internalising and emulating some of his philosophies in my own life. It was a dream-come-true moment when we first shot with him for our fifth-anniversary cover, and now, here we are again for yet another issue. For someone whose life has been influenced by Karan Johar since 1998, this is nothing short of a moment straight out of a movie directed by him. Larger-than-life; and sweet!
So, when I got the opportunity to speak with Karan Johar, it was almost impossible not to want to deep-dive into every facet of his life. He is, after all, someone with so much wisdom, advice and experience to share. And while we couldn’t cover it all, here’s an exclusive glimpse into our conversation for The Peacock Magazine. We unfold a few layers of the filmmaker that he is who has worked tirelessly to leave behind a legacy—one film story at a time.
Q) What motivated you to make movies?
Karan Johar (KJo): All I can remember is the Video Home System (VHS). The video phenomenon began when I was 8 years old, in 1980, and I still remember getting my first VHS player. I was mesmerised that I could watch all the movies. I had always listened to music because my mother loved old Hindi songs. So, I grew up listening to the music of Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Mohammed Rafi, Lata (Mangeshkar) Ji, Asha (Bhosle) Ji, and Kishore (Kumar) Ji. But then, with the VHS, I could watch the movies that featured these songs, and I started watching them back-to-back. While kids my age were reading comics or stories about superheroes, I was watching Hindi movies. I was obsessed. I watched everything—not once, not twice, but three times, and some movies even four times or more. I think I was an old soul because I was deeply drawn to the pathos of Guru Dutt, the messaging of Raj Kapoor—vintage Raj Kapoor and the glory and grandeur of Yash Chopra. I was simply mesmerised. I truly believe those masters motivated me to make movies.
Q) Did you have a big imagination as a kid, that is largely depicted in your films?
KJo: Well, I stayed in a very tiny home. My mother, father and me—it was just the three of us. I remember looking out of my window at the view of the city. I could see the Queen’s Necklace and I was mesmerised by the magnitude and majesty of that visual. When I watched films, I was most attracted to the grandeur of Raj Kapoor’s cinema. I think it was that sense of bigness, largeness and cinematic scale that truly attracted me to the idea of scaling up in cinema.
Q) Do you usually start out with an image or a story idea?
KJo: I think I start with a thought and that thought translates into a story. Those stories give me images and those images eventually become the feature film. But it largely starts with what I’m trying to communicate and the stage of life I’m at. When I was making my first film, it was an ode to cinema. I wanted to create something that celebrated Hindi cinema—all its trappings, the tropes, and the beautiful cliches. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was my way of expressing reverence, gratitude and a tribute to my parents. Kal Ho Naa Ho was about dealing with a certain sadness in our family at the time, which translated into the narrative. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was inspired by the relationships I’d heard about. So many thoughts have resulted in stories like these.
Q) Creative aspect or commercial aspect—what do you lean towards more when you start out v/s when you’re deep down in the making process?
KJo: It is a balance that you strike. To me, I’ve always believed that what I do is a beautiful blend of art and commerce. I’ve always felt that these two must be treated as equally strong pillars. Of course, the filmmaker in me—the director in me—always leans towards the art, but the producer and studio owner in me leans towards the commerce. The kind of cinema I’ve always loved has been mainstream and commercial. So, for me, the decision is not so difficult or torn because, naturally and instinctively, in my DNA, I’m a mainstream person. I’m a mainstream filmmaker. That choice is never daunting or turbulent for me—it comes easily. However, I firmly believe there is no art without the support of commerce, and no commerce should be such a sellout that it doesn’t ever lean on art.
Q) What makes for an iconic film scene?
KJo: I think the chemistry between the two actors is vital. And I don’t mean sensual, romantic, or love chemistry, but rather the connection between two great actors—or even three, if it’s an ensemble—coming together in a moment. It’s about creating the written word and elevating it, taking it over and beyond what’s on the page. That is what truly creates an iconic film scene. For example, the chemistry when Shah Rukh Khan meets Kajol after eight years in the summer camp is rooted in their inherent comfort as friends. They lean into each other’s presence, treating each other as a support system for their craft. That connection is what completely lent itself to that moment. In my cinema and in others’ films, I’ve observed that iconic moments always emerge because of the chemistry between two, three, or even more artists. It’s the collective energy—the coming together of their talent and synergy—that creates beautiful, iconic moments on celluloid.
Q) Tell us the process of how you go about getting that kind of work out of your actors.
KJo: Well, the first thing you need to do is create a friendship—a great camaraderie—with your actor. If I don’t love the actor I’m working with, I don’t think I can ever draw a great performance from that person. I have to love the person I’m working with. It is essential to develop a bond, a friendship, and only then can you truly draw out a certain kind of performance. All actors are vulnerable; they’re insecure, they have many complexes, and they have so much going on in their heads because they’re constantly dealing with their stardom and their artistry and combating the two. I think you have to become a therapist, a guide, a counsellor, a friend, a mentor, and so much more to your actors in order to help them deliver the performance you need and even to draw out a certain emotional syntax that you need from them. I don’t think two isolated persons can create magic in any creative collaboration. It’s about investing in each other and truly getting to know each other—not just in relation to the film, but also understanding the thoughts and minds of the artists. Eventually, all artists are lonely. If you offer them a leaning, supportive hand, they will lean back on you and, in turn, give you their very best.
Q) What kinds of films do you feel inspire you the most these days?
KJo: I think there is so much focus on VFX, technology, artificial intelligence and everything that is machine-made. I just want to make human dramas. I don’t want to lean on machines; I don’t want to lean on technology. I want to lean on soul and heart, and that’s what’s truly attracting me. Every time I see a feature film devoid of the trappings of technology, it deeply attracts me because I believe we are losing so much of our soul to technology.
Q) Does it still surprise you how much people loved and to date love your stories/films?
KJo: I’m not surprised; I’m just always grateful. Every single day, I wake up with gratitude in my heart—so much gratitude for being able to touch lives, impact people, and give entertainment and love to audiences across the world. There’s never a moment when I don’t feel grateful. Every time someone asks me how I feel, my answer is always the same: grateful. Every morning, it’s shukrana to the universe. I feel immense gratitude towards the world and the universe for giving me the power to tell stories, to be able to create content and to change lives with the stories I’ve told, the ones I’m currently telling, and the ones I will tell in the future. The emotions, the dialogue—everything I share is always a part of me. I feel that I’ve always shared a part of my core personality, my thoughts and my ideologies. Being allowed to do that is the greatest and most significant privilege any storyteller can have. To be given a platform to tell your story, to be met with love, sometimes hate, sometimes indifference—but always a reaction—is what truly matters. That’s the essence of storytelling: the ability to share your truth and have the world listen and hear you. Whether they appreciate it or not, both responses are equally welcome to me.
Q) What does the term ‘cinema’ mean to you?
KJo: Cinema is a phenomenon that’s larger than life. It’s an exaggeration of reality. It is a beautiful creation of your innermost thoughts. Cinema is a spectacle—something that goes over, above, and beyond what you experience or dabble with in your day-to-day life.
Q) Apart from work, what’s on the cards for you on the personal front?
KJo: I think self-growth is so critical. I’ve been looking inward, especially now that I’ve reached the midpoint of my life. I find myself wondering how I can grow as a human being—how I can contribute to society and the world around me. I think about how I can nurture my children to be strong individuals and good human beings. How I can follow—so beautifully and completely—in the footsteps of my father, whose ideologies have shaped me into who I am today. How I can live up to my mother’s ambitions. How I can contribute to the planet in my own way and support the community that surrounds me. There’s so much on my mind that’s not just about business, work or profession. Of course, there’s also room for fun. Fashion is a big part of that fun for me. Shooting with Shane (Peacock) and Falguni (Peacock) is always a special moment because I admire their craft so much. When I face the still camera wearing their garments, surrounded by their art, it’s truly a moment for me. Fashion may be a hobby, but it’s also an industry I deeply believe in. It’s a multibillion-dollar industry that still hasn’t been given its due. I’m so glad that, in the last decade, India has woken up to the force that is fashion. I’m proud that it’s a hobby of mine and something I feel connected to on so many levels.
