IIPM Mumbai Campus
In a candid tête-à-tête with subhash k jha, karan johar speaks on why he s destined to remain a wedding planner all his life why kids call him koffee uncle and why he s launching new talent this year…
So many hats. Recently you were a wedding planner for Imran Khan?
I am proud to be one. I was very happy in helping Avantika and Imran with their wedding. They’re friends. And considering there’s no wedding in my own life, helping others with their shaadi is my way of living that experience.
So are you one of those sad wedding planners with no life of his own?
No, I am an aspirational wedding planner. I live out my own wedding vicariously. Let’s once and for all put all my marriage rumours to rest. There’s no marriage in my kundli.
Why the finality?
I love my single existence. I love living with my mother. I feel I am married to her.
In 2011 you are launching three new actors?
Yes, can you believe it! For the first time I’ll be directing newcomers in Student of the Year. Two of them, Aliya Bhatt and Varun Dhawan are industry kids. And one of them, Siddharth Malhotra has no connections with the industry at all. He had come in to learn the ropes of filmmaking. Siddharth and Varun were assistant directors on My Name Is Khan (MNIK). In fact that’s how I discovered they had star-potential.
What do you mean?
Our cameraman on MNIK Ravi Chandran made Siddharth and Varun stand in for Shah Rukh and Kajol for lighting. I saw them in the monitor and I knew they had the ‘it’ quality.
So you mean if they weren’t caught in that particular light, you wouldn’t have cast them in Student of the Year?
It’s all destiny. But let me tell you all three of them had to go through audition, reading, screen test and a whole lot of classes. It was wonderful dealing with them. I believe in all three of them. But there is the anxiety. I hope I live up to their dreams. I feel like a parent to three bright students. Earlier, I had no plans of directing the film. But now I’ll direct it myself.
What is it going to be?
A commercial Hindi picture with songs. There’re lots of songs.
But no Shah Rukh ?
What do you mean, no Shah Rukh? He is the co-producer of Student of the Year along with me. Shah Rukh and I both feel that launching talent is the way forward for our cinema. Then he suggested I direct it.
Is Shah Rukh going to make a guest appearance in Student of the Year?
Wait and watch. Kuch kuch to hota hai!
Shah Rukh and you got very sentimental on Koffee with Karan…
He is more than family to me. The one-on-one made us very comfortable. We both expressed ourselves with our head and heart. It was Koffee with a different taste. I also shot an episode with Hrithik Roshan and his wonderful wife Susanne.
Your chat show Koffee With Karan got into a bit of a controversy when Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor took pot-shots at Ranbir Kapoor…
It has been controversial; sometime the show gets tabloid-friendly. I do the show with good intentions. I never meant to cause any distress or discomfort to any of my guests or their loved ones. The Deepika-Sonam episode created unnecessary controversy. That was much ado about nothing, if you ask me. Enough has been said about it.
It upset you greatly?
When I invite a guest on Koffee with Karan, I treat them with the warmth, love and hospitality that I extend to my guests at home. If my comments or my guests’ comments upset someone, then all I can say is that it is never my intention. There is an inherent sense of humour in the show. Sadly, we as a nation cannot take jokes at our expense. I can take jibes in my stride. When on my show Anil Kapoor said MNIK was the shocker hit of 2010, it was the first thing I put on the promo. I found it funny. I wish everyone else too would get a sense of humour. My intention was not to topple any applecart.
Are you going to continue doing the chat show?
Not when I am directing. But Koffee with Karan will always be a part of my life. It’s a part of me I love and enjoy. I am probably known more for my chat show than my films. On some level that’s flattering. But on another level it’s shocking.
I think that’s ridiculous.
You’ve no idea. Kids call me ‘Koffee Uncle’. Have I started looking like a beverage?
You look fine…
Thanks. But in some ways I am like a beverage. I can be served hot or cold.
What were the most exceptional aspects of 2010 for you?
For me it was MNIK that made the year special. Koffee with Karan is just an extension of my personality. It’s a hobby that pays me well. And it has done a lot of good for my brand. MNIK was a creative forward-movement from me. Its worldwide acceptance meant a lot to me and Shah Rukh.
I believe MNIK was one of the contenders for nominations for the Oscars. Did that make MNIK a competitor to Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live?
I don’t think so. Peepli Live was India’s official entry to the Oscars. I am not sure of the modalities. We are happy to be considered after apparently 400,000 fans of MNIK from all over the world petitioned that MNIK should be considered for an Oscar entry. Whether my film is a contender or not is immaterial. That it has found such a high level of acceptance means much more than awards to me.
Back home your name is missing in the directors’ list of some popular awards…
It’s basically just one platform where MNIK has not been nominated for Best Film and Best Director. What can I say? ‘Screen’ is a jury award. Most of the jury members are senior and respected members of the film fraternity. If they feel my film is not worthy so be it. However, I don’t think a film-awards jury from within the industry is a good idea. They’re bound to come on board with a certain level of bias. The Oscars comprise of an academy of 5,000 members, where the biases are offset by the sheer large number of opinions. I am personally not happy with a 7-member jury judging my film. However, I’ve the highest regard for all awards and organisations giving them.
Do awards still excite you?
Yes! Any accolade excites me. I like the applause. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the trophy gleaming on my table. Javed Akhtar saab once said something very relevant about awards. He said, ‘Take the awards seriously during the year that you get them’. I love being nominated and winning.
Your line-up of films for 2011?
Besides my own film there’s the Imran-Kareena untitled film. Everyone calls it Short Term Shaadi or Stand by Me. Then there’s the sequel to Dostana and the remake of Agneepath. Punit Malhotra, Siddharth Malhotra and Ayaan Mukherjee are working on their scripts.
How do you manage to do so many things?
I am blessed. The only thing predictable about my activities is that they’re unpredictable.
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In a candid tête-à-tête with subhash k jha, karan johar speaks on why he s destined to remain a wedding planner all his life why kids call him koffee uncle and why he s launching new talent this year…
So many hats. Recently you were a wedding planner for Imran Khan?
I am proud to be one. I was very happy in helping Avantika and Imran with their wedding. They’re friends. And considering there’s no wedding in my own life, helping others with their shaadi is my way of living that experience.
So are you one of those sad wedding planners with no life of his own?
No, I am an aspirational wedding planner. I live out my own wedding vicariously. Let’s once and for all put all my marriage rumours to rest. There’s no marriage in my kundli.
Why the finality?
I love my single existence. I love living with my mother. I feel I am married to her.
In 2011 you are launching three new actors?
Yes, can you believe it! For the first time I’ll be directing newcomers in Student of the Year. Two of them, Aliya Bhatt and Varun Dhawan are industry kids. And one of them, Siddharth Malhotra has no connections with the industry at all. He had come in to learn the ropes of filmmaking. Siddharth and Varun were assistant directors on My Name Is Khan (MNIK). In fact that’s how I discovered they had star-potential.
What do you mean?
Our cameraman on MNIK Ravi Chandran made Siddharth and Varun stand in for Shah Rukh and Kajol for lighting. I saw them in the monitor and I knew they had the ‘it’ quality.
So you mean if they weren’t caught in that particular light, you wouldn’t have cast them in Student of the Year?
It’s all destiny. But let me tell you all three of them had to go through audition, reading, screen test and a whole lot of classes. It was wonderful dealing with them. I believe in all three of them. But there is the anxiety. I hope I live up to their dreams. I feel like a parent to three bright students. Earlier, I had no plans of directing the film. But now I’ll direct it myself.
What is it going to be?
A commercial Hindi picture with songs. There’re lots of songs.
But no Shah Rukh ?
What do you mean, no Shah Rukh? He is the co-producer of Student of the Year along with me. Shah Rukh and I both feel that launching talent is the way forward for our cinema. Then he suggested I direct it.
Is Shah Rukh going to make a guest appearance in Student of the Year?
Wait and watch. Kuch kuch to hota hai!
Shah Rukh and you got very sentimental on Koffee with Karan…
He is more than family to me. The one-on-one made us very comfortable. We both expressed ourselves with our head and heart. It was Koffee with a different taste. I also shot an episode with Hrithik Roshan and his wonderful wife Susanne.
Your chat show Koffee With Karan got into a bit of a controversy when Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor took pot-shots at Ranbir Kapoor…
It has been controversial; sometime the show gets tabloid-friendly. I do the show with good intentions. I never meant to cause any distress or discomfort to any of my guests or their loved ones. The Deepika-Sonam episode created unnecessary controversy. That was much ado about nothing, if you ask me. Enough has been said about it.
It upset you greatly?
When I invite a guest on Koffee with Karan, I treat them with the warmth, love and hospitality that I extend to my guests at home. If my comments or my guests’ comments upset someone, then all I can say is that it is never my intention. There is an inherent sense of humour in the show. Sadly, we as a nation cannot take jokes at our expense. I can take jibes in my stride. When on my show Anil Kapoor said MNIK was the shocker hit of 2010, it was the first thing I put on the promo. I found it funny. I wish everyone else too would get a sense of humour. My intention was not to topple any applecart.
Are you going to continue doing the chat show?
Not when I am directing. But Koffee with Karan will always be a part of my life. It’s a part of me I love and enjoy. I am probably known more for my chat show than my films. On some level that’s flattering. But on another level it’s shocking.
I think that’s ridiculous.
You’ve no idea. Kids call me ‘Koffee Uncle’. Have I started looking like a beverage?
You look fine…
Thanks. But in some ways I am like a beverage. I can be served hot or cold.
What were the most exceptional aspects of 2010 for you?
For me it was MNIK that made the year special. Koffee with Karan is just an extension of my personality. It’s a hobby that pays me well. And it has done a lot of good for my brand. MNIK was a creative forward-movement from me. Its worldwide acceptance meant a lot to me and Shah Rukh.
I believe MNIK was one of the contenders for nominations for the Oscars. Did that make MNIK a competitor to Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live?
I don’t think so. Peepli Live was India’s official entry to the Oscars. I am not sure of the modalities. We are happy to be considered after apparently 400,000 fans of MNIK from all over the world petitioned that MNIK should be considered for an Oscar entry. Whether my film is a contender or not is immaterial. That it has found such a high level of acceptance means much more than awards to me.
Back home your name is missing in the directors’ list of some popular awards…
It’s basically just one platform where MNIK has not been nominated for Best Film and Best Director. What can I say? ‘Screen’ is a jury award. Most of the jury members are senior and respected members of the film fraternity. If they feel my film is not worthy so be it. However, I don’t think a film-awards jury from within the industry is a good idea. They’re bound to come on board with a certain level of bias. The Oscars comprise of an academy of 5,000 members, where the biases are offset by the sheer large number of opinions. I am personally not happy with a 7-member jury judging my film. However, I’ve the highest regard for all awards and organisations giving them.
Do awards still excite you?
Yes! Any accolade excites me. I like the applause. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the trophy gleaming on my table. Javed Akhtar saab once said something very relevant about awards. He said, ‘Take the awards seriously during the year that you get them’. I love being nominated and winning.
Your line-up of films for 2011?
Besides my own film there’s the Imran-Kareena untitled film. Everyone calls it Short Term Shaadi or Stand by Me. Then there’s the sequel to Dostana and the remake of Agneepath. Punit Malhotra, Siddharth Malhotra and Ayaan Mukherjee are working on their scripts.
How do you manage to do so many things?
I am blessed. The only thing predictable about my activities is that they’re unpredictable.
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Arindam Chaudhuri is Delhi franchise holder for i1 Super Series
IIPM ranks No 1 in International Exposure in the 'Third Mail Today B-School Survey'
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM
IIPM Excom Prof Rajita Chaudhuri
IIPM: What is E-PAT?
"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
