Had it been left to filmmaker Yash Johar, his son Karan Johar, would have become an actor. The filmmaker felt his son was the “most good-looking man” in the world, hence fitting the bill to be a Bollywood hero. But Karan made it clear to his father that he doesn’t want to be an actor, and Shah Rukh Khan and Aditya Chopra, convinced senior Johar that his son was a capable film director.
In a recent interview with fashion designer Prabal Gurung, Karan shared, “Punjabi dads can be deluded. At 15, my father told me, ‘Beta, you’re so good-looking, and you just have some puppy fat, it will go away and you can become a hero.’” Listening to the suggestion, Karan’s mother Hirroo Johar choked on her food.
“My mother really choked on her food and just looked at me and nodded (in negation). He (Yash Johar) was like, ‘What do you mean? Everybody says my son is so good-looking.’ Then the next day he woke me up and he said, why don’t you go horse riding because all actors those days would learn horse riding. I was just imagining myself from a horse and my mother was just shattered. I was like, ‘What is he even saying?’” Karan shared.
The Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani director remembered his father being obsessed with him. “My father was so obsessed with me that he thought I was the best-looking man on Earth. Every time I’d go to a party, I would talk to girls… I was popular because of my sense of humour, so girls would laugh, not because of any other reason. But my father would say, ‘Main dekh raha tha, saari ladkiyon ki nazar tujh par hi thi (I saw, all the girls were looking at you)’, and I would be like, ‘No no papa, we are all just friends.’”
So, Karan told Yash Johar that he won’t become an actor. His father didn’t take his decision nicely and told him, if he won’t become an actor, he won’t be a part of the film industry. “He believed, ‘either you become a star or you stay far’” Karan shared. However, Karan Johar’s close friends, filmmaker Aditya Chopra and actor Shah Rukh Khan, convinced his father that his son is a talented director.
Karan Johar with his father Yash Johar and Shah Rukh Khan. (Express Archive Photo)
Yet, Karan’s mother, Hiroo gave him the option to fly out of India on the day he had to start the shoot of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She told him that she and his father would take care of everything and would ask Aditya Chopra to direct the movie.
“At 5.30 in the morning, my mother woke me up, and I was shocked. She said, ‘I just want to tell you that you don’t have to do this. Do you even know where to put the camera? Even now, I will call Adi, and let him direct the movie. You don’t do this. Don’t worry about anything, we will just fly you off somewhere.’ She wanted me to just leave the nation and not direct the movie,” KJo narrated.
Most Read 1Chandrayaan-3 mission: Dawn breaks on Moon, all eyes on lander, rover to wake up 2As Indo-Canadian relations sour, anxiety grips Indian students, residents who wish to settle in Canada 3Karan Johar says Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not call him after Rocky Aur Rani: ‘He’s never called me but…’ 4Shubh’s tour in India cancelled: Why is the Canada-based singer facing the music? 5Gadar 2 box office collection day 40: Hit by Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan onslaught, Sunny Deol movie ends BO run with Rs 45 lakh earningAlso read | Salman Khan wanted to wear torn jeans in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai intro song, wore a suit when Karan Johar started crying
Yash Johar thought Karan Johar was Steven Spielberg
However, things changed once again after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was completed and Karan showed it to his parents. After watching the movie, Yash Johar was “trembling” and Hiroo Johar was “weeping”. And, from that day, Karan Johar became Steven Spielberg for his father.
Karan said, “Earlier he thought I was the most good-looking man and now he thought I was Steven Speilberg. It was so embarrassing because anywhere we went, he would be like, ‘My son is the best director in the world.’ I would tell him, ‘Papa you cannot say that’.”
Also ReadJawan box office collection day 13: Shah Rukh Khan film to pass Rs 900 cr…Gadar 2 box office collection day 40: Hit by Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan onsla…Karan Johar says Sanjay Leela Bhansali did not call him after Rocky Aur R…Karan Johar says ex-lover who inspired Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is still ‘very …
Rani Mukerji, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. (Express Archive Photo)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, led by Shah Rukh and Kajol was a blockbuster hit. After the film, Karan directed Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham which became a hit too. Now, the filmmaker is basking in the success of his recently directed film, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.
Click for more updates and latest Bollywood news along with Entertainment updates. Also get latest news and top headlines from India and around the world at The Indian Express.