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Karan Johar | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Johar at the2025 Cannes Film Festival | |
| Born | Rahul Kumar Johar[1] (1972-05-25)25 May 1972 (age 53) Mumbai,Maharashtra, India |
| Alma mater | H.R. College of Commerce |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Organization | Dharma Productions |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Yash Johar |
| Relatives | Chopra-Johar family |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2020)[2] |
| Signature | |
 | |
Karan Kumar Johar[3] (bornRahul Kumar Johar; 25 May 1972),[1] often informally referred to asKJo,[4] is an Indian filmmaker, producer and television personality who primarily works inHindi cinema. He has launched the careers of several successful actors and filmmakers under his companyDharma Productions. The recipient ofseveral accolades, including fourNational Film Awards and eightFilmfare Awards, he has been honoured with thePadma Shri by theGovernment of India in 2020.[5]
The son of producerYash Johar, he made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy-dramaKuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), which earned him theNational Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment (as director), theFilmfare Award for Best Director and theFilmfare Award for Best Screenplay. His next films, the family dramaKabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and the musical romantic dramaKabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), were both major commercial successes in both domestic and overseas markets. His social dramaMy Name Is Khan (2010) earned him his second Filmfare Award for Best Director. Johar produced the spy thrillerRaazi (2018) and the biopicShershaah (2021), both of which won him theFilmfare Award for Best Film, with the latter also earning him theNational Film Award – Special Jury Mention as producer.[6] Later, as producer of the fantasy filmBrahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), he won the inauguralNational Film Award for Best Film in AVGC.[7] Johar returned to directing with the romantic comedy-dramaRocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), which earned him another National Film Award forBest Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.[8] He then went on to produce the dramaHomebound (2025), which was chosen as theIndian entry for theBest International Feature Film at the98th Academy Awards, and was subsequently shortlisted in the category.[9][10] These, along withother films he has directed or produced under his company, have established him as one of the leading filmmakers in Hindi cinema.
Johar has also ventured into other avenues of the entertainment industry. He hosts a television talk show,Koffee with Karan since 2004,[11] a dating showWhat the Love! and a radio showCalling Karan, and appeared as a judge on competition reality showsJhalak Dikhhla Jaa andIndia's Got Talent.
Karan Johar was born on 25 May 1972 inBombay, India, to aPunjabi father, film producerYash Johar, founder ofDharma Productions, and aSindhi mother, Hiroo Johar.[12][13] He grew up in a "cosmopolitan house" where the family communicated in English, and his father, anArya Samaji, would reciteHindu,Sikh, andChristian prayers.[14] He studied at Green Lawns High School and laterH.R. College of Commerce and Economics, both in Mumbai.[15] Johar attempted admission toThe Doon School but was declined due to scoring zero in mathematics.[16]
He began his career as a child actor, playing Shrikant in the 1989Doordarshan serialIndradhanush, and was influenced byRaj Kapoor, Yash Chopra, andSooraj Barjatya.[17][18] He briefly followednumerology for film titles but stopped after watchingLage Raho Munna Bhai.[19]
Johar has publicly discussed hissexual orientation, stating, "Everybody knows what my sexual orientation is," and in February 2017, he became a father to twins, son Yash and daughter Roohi, viasurrogacy.[20] He named his son after his father, Yash Johar, and his daughter after his mother, Hiroo Johar.[21]
In 2020, following thedeath of Sushant Singh Rajput, Johar faced criticism and allegations of promotingnepotism in Bollywood, particularly regarding casting of star children.[22][23] Johar defended his casting choices, highlighting the number of debut directors and outsider talents introduced by his production house.[24]
Johar entered the film industry as an assistant director and actor on his cousin,Aditya Chopra'sDilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which is one of the most successful films to date.[25]
He made his own directorial debut with the romantic comedy-dramaKuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). The first half of the film centers on a college love triangle between an insensitive boy (Shah Rukh Khan), his tomboyish best friend (Kajol), and the prettiest girl at the college (Rani Mukerji), while the second half centers on the now-widowed boy's attempt to reconnect with his best friend who is now engaged to marry a businessman (Salman Khan). The film emerged as a major blockbuster at the box-office and received positive reviews from critics. Writing forPlanetBollywood.com, critic Anish Khanna commented that "Johar makes an impressive directorial debut, has a good script sense, and knows how to make a film with S-T-Y-L-E."[26] It won theNational Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. It swept most of the major awards at the44th Filmfare Awards, includingBest Film,Best Director, and all four acting awards.
Johar achieved his breakthrough with the ensemble family dramaKabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). The film starredAmitabh Bachchan as an egotistical rich industrialist,Jaya Bachchan as his compassionate wife, andShah Rukh Khan andHrithik Roshan as their two sons. It also featuredKajol andKareena Kapoor as sisters from a lower-class family who become the love interests of Khan and Roshan respectively. The film emerged as Johar's second consecutive major blockbuster at the box-office and received positive reviews from critics. CriticTaran Adarsh commented that Johar "confirms the fact that he is the brightest in film firmament. The premise [of the film] is simple, but it is the storytelling that deserves the highest marks."[27]Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham earned him his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
Johar's third directorial venture was the ensemble musical romantic dramaKabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), which dealt with the controversial subject ofmarital infidelity, emotional dissatisfaction, and dysfunctional relationships set against the backdrop ofnon-resident Indians (NRIs) living inNew York City. The film's plot follows a washed-up athlete (Shah Rukh Khan), whose frustration with his wife (Preity Zinta) results in anextramarital affair with a family friend (Rani Mukerji), a schoolteacher who is also unhappy with her marriage to her childhood friend (Abhishek Bachchan). The film emerged as Johar's third consecutive major blockbuster at the box-office and emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of all time in overseas markets at the time. It received highly positive reviews from critics who praised Johar's departure from the directorial style of his first two films.Rajeev Masand wrote, "Few writers have such solid control over their screenplay as Johar does. Few understand the intricacies of narrative as well as he does. Johar goes from highs to lows, from plateaus to peaks with the ease of a pro. He knows exactly how to turn a seemingly ordinary scene into something special with just that one line of dialogue, or that hint of background music."[28] The script of the film which was co-written by Johar received recognition by a number of critics and was invited to be included in the library of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna earned him his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
Johar's next directorial venture was the social dramaMy Name Is Khan (2010), his first film not written by him. The plot follows a Muslim man withAsperger's syndrome and his Hindu wife, played byShah Rukh Khan andKajol, who live inSan Francisco and face racial prejudice after11 September attacks. The film emerged as Johar's fourth consecutive major blockbuster in both domestic and overseas markets, and received rave reviews from critics who praised Johar's unconventional directorial style. Critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that the film "is a flawless work, as perfect in content, tone, and treatment as any film can get."[29]My Name Is Khan won Johar his second Filmfare Award for Best Director.
For his next feature filmStudent of the Year (2012), Johar chose not to cast established actors for his lead roles and instead recruited three debutante actors (Sidharth Malhotra,Alia Bhatt andVarun Dhawan). The plot revolved around the quest of a group of students who are all gunning for the title of "Student of the Year" at their college. The film emerged as a moderate commercial success and received mixed reviews from critics. Some called it "supremely entertaining and enjoyable,"[30] while others called it "a film which suffers from the lack-of-a-story syndrome."[31]
Johar then teamed up withZoya Akhtar,Anurag Kashyap, andDibakar Banerjee forBombay Talkies (2013), ananthology film released to celebrate the centenary year of Hindi cinema. Each of these directors made one short film to contribute to the large anthology. The plot of Johar's film followed a magazine editor (Rani Mukerji) who discovers that her husband (Randeep Hooda) is gay after an interaction with an intern at her office (Saqib Saleem). The film did not perform well at the box-office, but earned positive reviews from critics, with major praise for Johar's segment earning him a nomination for theQueer Palm award at the2013 Cannes Film Festival.[32]
Johar's next directorial venture was the musical romantic dramaAe Dil Hai Mushkil (2016). The film featuredRanbir Kapoor as a man dealing with an unrequited love for his best friend, played byAnushka Sharma. It also featuredAishwarya Rai Bachchan as an older woman who engages in a brief relationship with Kapoor's character, andFawad Khan as the love interest of Sharma's character. The film emerged as his fifth major blockbuster at the box-office and received positive reviews from critics, who called it "Johar's most grown-up film yet."[33]Ae Dil Hai Mushkil earned him his fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
Johar teamed up again with Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, and Dibakar Banerjee forLust Stories (2018), an anthology film released onNetflix that served as a follow-up toBombay Talkies. The film was praised for its exploration of female sexuality, a subject rarely dealt with in Indian films. Johar's segment revolved around a newly married schoolteacher (Kiara Advani) whose husband (Vicky Kaushal) fails to recognize her lack of sexual satisfaction.
In August 2018, Johar took to Twitter to announce his next filmTakht, aperiod drama based in theMughal era. It was supposed to feature an ensemble star cast ofRanveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt,Vicky Kaushal,Bhumi Pednekar,Janhvi Kapoor, andAnil Kapoor.[34] With a screenplay by Sumit Roy, dialogues by Hussain Haidry, and music composed byA. R. Rahman, it was supposed to be the second film directed by Johar that was not written by himself.[35] In an interview withFirstpost, Johar stated thatTakht would begin filming in September 2019.[36] However, owing to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the entire project was postponed, with Johar stating that he would pick it up again in the future.
In 2020, he reteamed with Banerjee, Akhtar and Kashyap for thehorror anthology filmGhost Stories, the sequel toLust Stories.Ghost Stories premiered on Netflix on 1 January 2020. His segment in the film told the story of a newly-married woman (Mrunal Thakur) and her experience with her husband's (Avinash Tiwary)post-traumatic stress disorder. Unlike its predecessors, it received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics upon release.
In July 2021, it was announced that Johar would direct a romantic comedy family drama instead, titledRocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The film starredDharmendra, Jaya Bachchan,Shabana Azmi, Ranveer Singh, and Alia Bhatt in lead roles. It was released on 28 July 2023 and emerged as a critical and commercial success, ranking as theseventh highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year.[37][38][39][40] The film earned Johar several awards including theNational Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.[8]
On his 52nd birthday in 2024, Johar announced that his next directorial, set to release in the second half of 2025.
Johar's directorial work (with the exception ofanthology filmsBombay Talkies (2013),Lust Stories (2018) andGhost Stories (2020)) has been produced under theDharma Productions banner, founded by his father Yash Johar and taken over by him after his father's death in 2004. In addition to his own directorial work, he has produced several films by other directors under the Dharma banner. Many of these films have become major critical and commercial successes includingKal Ho Naa Ho (2003),Dostana (2008),Wake Up Sid (2009),I Hate Luv Storys (2010),Agneepath (2012), aremake of the 1990 cult classic movie of the same name,Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013),2 States (2014),Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014),Kapoor & Sons (2016),Dear Zindagi (2016),Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017),Raazi (2018),Simmba (2018),Dhadak (2018),Kesari (2019),Good Newwz (2019),Sooryavanshi (2021), andBrahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022).
Johar made his acting debut in the 1989 television seriesIndradhanush. In addition to working as an assistant director onDilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Johar was an actor in the film, playing the minor role of a friend ofShah Rukh Khan’s character. Since then, he has made cameo appearances playing himself in films likeOm Shanti Om (2007),Fashion (2008), andLuck by Chance (2009).
He got his first full-fledged film role alongsideRanbir Kapoor andAnushka Sharma inAnurag Kashyap’s period dramaBombayVelvet (2015), in which he played the main antagonist. Although the film did not perform well at the box-office, Johar earned mixed-to-positive reviews for his performance. Critic Sarita A. Tanwar commented, "The only consolation in the film is Johar who brings a lot of dignity to the character of Khambatta... which is commendable since this is totally outside his comfort space."[41]
Johar has worked as a costume designer forShah Rukh Khan on many films likeDilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995),Dil To Pagal Hai (1997),Duplicate (1998),Mohabbatein (2000),Main Hoon Na (2004),Veer-Zaara (2004), andOm Shanti Om (2007).
Johar is the host ofKoffee with Karan, a talk show where he interviews actors, directors, producers, and other prominent members of the Hindi film industry. The series has run intermittently since 2004, with eight seasons as of January 2024[update].[42] Since 2012, he has served as a judge on the reality showsJhalak Dikhhla Jaa (withMadhuri Dixit andRemo D’Souza),India's Got Talent (withMalaika Arora Khan,Kirron Kher, andFarah Khan) andIndia's Next Superstars (withRohit Shetty).[43] In January 2022, he appeared as a judge on theColors TV's showHunarbaaz: Desh Ki Shaan along withMithun Chakraborty andParineeti Chopra.[44]
Johar is also an investor in an AI-led adtech influencer marketing platform Konfluence. The company had raised a pre-series funding of $4 million as of 8 February 2022.[45]
In 2024, Johar invested in theFashion Entrepreneur Fund [en], a venture studio supporting fashion and lifestyle startups in India.[46]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge | Monty | Also assistant director |
| 2003 | Kal Ho Naa Ho | Customer in café | Uncredited |
| 2005 | Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak | Himself | Cameo |
| 2006 | Alag | Himself | |
| Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna | Passenger on the train | ||
| 2007 | Salaam-e-Ishq | Himself (voice) | |
| Om Shanti Om | Himself | ||
| 2008 | C Kkompany | Himself | |
| Fashion | Himself | ||
| 2009 | Luck by Chance | Himself | |
| 2014 | Hasee Toh Phasee | Client | |
| 2015 | Shamitabh | Himself | |
| Shaandaar | Himself | ||
| Bombay Velvet | Kaizad Khambatta | ||
| 2018 | Welcome To New York | Karan/Arjun | Double role |
| Simmba | In Dance number | Cameo in song "Aankh Maarey" | |
| 2019 | Good Newwz | Himself | Cameo in song"Chandigarh Mein" |
| 2024 | Modern Masters: S. S. Rajamouli | Himself | Documentary |
| 2025 | Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari | Himself | Cameo |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Indradhanush | Srikanth | |
| 2004–present | Koffee with Karan | Host | Reality show |
| 2008 | Say Shava Shava[49] | Judge | |
| 2012–2022 | Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa | ||
| 2012–2018 | India's Got Talent | ||
| 2017 | Dil Hai Hindustani | ||
| 2018 | India's Next Superstars | ||
| 2020 | What the Love! with Karan Johar | Host | |
| 2021 | Bigg Boss OTT 1 | Host | |
| IFFI opening ceremony | Host | Television special | |
| 2020–present | Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives | Guest | Reality show; also executive producer |
| 2022 | The Fame Game | N/a | Executive producer |
| Hunarbaaz: Desh Ki Shaan | Judge | ||
| Bigg Boss 16 | Host | Reality show; (3rd & 18th week) | |
| 2023 | Bigg Boss 17 | Host | Reality show; (7th & 13th week) |
| 2024 | Showtime | N/a | Executive producer |
| Love Storiyaan[50] | N/a | Documentary; executive producer | |
| Gyaarah Gyaarah | N/a | Executive producer | |
| Call Me Bae | N/a | ||
| The Tribe | N/a | Reality show; executive producer | |
| 2025 | Do You Wanna Partner | N/a | Executive producer |
| The Ba***ds of Bollywood | Himself | Cameo |
