Since childhood, Karan Johar’s walk, way of speaking and body language became a reason for mockery. Due to this, Karan gradually became so scared that he started avoiding going among people. He lied to his family members that he was going to computer classes, while in reality he was taking training to change his voice. His parents did not want him to become part of the film industry.
Then one day, Shah Rukh Khan told that same underconfident boy that you should direct a film. I will act in your film and his very first film ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ came, which was a blockbuster. Later, Karan directed many hit films like ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ and ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’.
Karan was also trolled regarding nepotism, but amidst struggles, taunts and criticisms, he created his own distinct identity and he is counted among Bollywood’s top filmmakers.
Today Karan Johar has turned 54 years old. On the special occasion of his birthday, let’s know stories related to his life-
Karan Johar was made fun of in childhood
Today, Karan Johar may be considered one of Bollywood’s most confident and stylish filmmakers, but in childhood he was an extremely scared and under-confident child.
Karan had said in an interview with Nikhil Taneja, ‘My parents were also worried because I was very shy and introverted. Today perhaps people won’t believe this, but I was afraid of going among people. I was very effeminate (like girls) in childhood and was also overweight. Whenever I went to play any sport, people would make fun of me. People would say that I run in a strange way or my hand gestures are different.’
He had said, ‘In the 80s, people used the word ‘pansy’. The way ‘gay’ or ‘homo’ words are said incorrectly today, back then ‘pansy’ was used. This word completely pushed me into a shell. Whenever I tried to play football, basketball or cricket, people would mock my body language. This is why I had become very introverted.’
Karan Johar’s childhood pictures.
Took voice training by lying to parents Karan had told in Jay Shetty’s podcast that in college he realized that he was good at public speaking, so he wanted to make it even better. During this time, he joined a public speaking academy. The head there told him that his voice sounded quite girlish and the world could be harsh with him. He advised Karan to bring baritone to his voice, so that his voice would sound more masculine.
Karan had mentioned that he had taken training from them for 3 years. However, Karan had told his parents that he was going to computer classes, because he hesitated to tell them the real reason. Three years later, when a computer arrived at Karan’s father’s office, he asked Karan to demonstrate how to use it, since he had been learning computers for so many years. The filmmaker had revealed that he had never attended computer classes even for a single day in his life, so when he saw the computer, it felt like an alien was standing in front of him. At that time, he couldn’t give any answer.
Father was against entering films, mother didn’t talk for a month Today Karan Johar is a top filmmaker in the film industry, but there was a time when his own parents didn’t want him to enter the industry. Karan’s film career began with the film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ – 1995). In the film, he was an assistant director.
In DDLJ, Karan played a small role as Shah Rukh Khan’s (Raj’s) friend.
Karan had told Jay Shetty in a conversation that his father Yash Johar and mother Hiroo Johar did not want him to enter the film industry. When Aditya Chopra asked Karan to assist him in his first film DDLJ, Karan wanted to go to Paris at that time to further his studies in the French language.
Karan had revealed that his father had a small export-import business and France was among their major clients. Therefore, the family wanted him to learn French and handle the business. His father did make films, but he had suffered continuous losses in films. That’s why he didn’t want his son to go into the same industry.
Karan had also revealed that when he decided to enter films, his mother didn’t talk to him for about a month.
Karan Johar’s father Yash Johar had produced films like ‘Dostana’ (1980), ‘Duniya’ (1984), ‘Muqaddar Ka Faisla’ (1987) and ‘Agneepath’ (1990).
According to Karan, Aditya had told him, ‘You are made for films. You are overdramatic, melodramatic, you love songs and dance. Why are you running away from films?’
After this, Karan asked his family for just one year. He said that if he couldn’t make a name for himself in the film industry, he would choose another path. During this time, he worked on the set of DDLJ, where he got to meet Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol more closely. Later, this same film proved to be a blockbuster and Karan Johar’s film career also began.
Shah Rukh advised Karan to direct
Karan had told Galatta Plus in an interview that during the shooting of DDLJ, Shah Rukh Khan had told him that he should direct his own film and he would also act in it. Kajol, who was present nearby, had also shown interest in this matter.
But Karan felt that both were just joking or saying these things casually. When he told this to his father, he also didn’t believe it.
Karan had said that his father said, ‘These people have gone crazy.’ His mother also felt that both were joking.
Shah Rukh has worked in 4 films in lead roles under Karan’s direction – ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ and ‘My Name Is Khan’.
After this, Shah Rukh himself called Yash Johar and said that he would work in a film directed by Karan after the film ‘Duplicate’. On this, Yash Johar had said to Karan, ‘He has gone mad, saying he will do a film directed by you. What do you know about direction?’
Later, Shahrukh heard the script of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ and gave his dates for the film’s shooting in 1997. Released in 1998, this film proved to be a superhit. ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s story was based on the love triangle of Rahul (Shahrukh Khan), Anjali (Kajol) and Tina (Rani Mukherjee).
Fainted on set due to fear of directing Amitabh Bachchan Karan Johar was directing big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor in his second film ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’. But as soon as the film started, Karan’s condition deteriorated.
In Rajeev Masand’s show ‘Behind the Picture’, Karan himself revealed that the first shoot of the film was the song ‘Bole Chudiyan’. The pressure of directing so many big stars together was so immense on him that he was constantly nervous.
Karan had said, ‘I kept thinking again and again – Oh God, I am directing Amitabh Bachchan.’ He revealed that as soon as the shooting started, the nervousness increased so much that his stomach got upset. He was running to the bathroom repeatedly. On the third day, the condition deteriorated so much that he collapsed completely weakened.
Karan revealed that he came out of the bathroom, called out to Farah Khan and collapsed unconscious right there. When he regained consciousness, Amitabh Bachchan was sitting in front of him. Karan had a drip in his hand and doctors were standing around.
According to Karan, Amitabh Bachchan told him, ‘Karan, don’t worry… we will dance well, I promise.’
The filmmaker had said that at that moment he realized what a humble person Amitabh Bachchan was despite being such a big artist. Spoke on Ozempic allegations – If I had taken it, I wouldn’t have hidden it
For the past few years, Karan Johar has been in the news for his sudden weight loss. Many people on social media claimed that Karan used the weight loss drug Ozempic. In an interview with Raj Shamani, Karan had said, ‘I am a single parent, I have two children. I have never hidden this fact. I have also openly written many things about my life in my book. I neither deny things nor do I lie.’
Karan had further said, ‘People say that my life is an open book. There are some things that I haven’t written, but when I don’t hide such big truths of my life, then why would I hide that I took Ozempic or Mounjaro?’
He had further said in a humorous manner, ‘If I had taken these medicines, I would have openly declared that yes, I have taken them and they are good for me. I would have also told people that you should take them too. Perhaps later they would have made me their brand ambassador. I would have even gone through that phase where perhaps I would have monetized it.’
Karan Johar lost about 20 kg in seven months (between 2024 to 2025). For this, he mainly adopted the OMAD (One Meal A Day) diet and also got treatment for his thyroid problem.
Karan had said- he never ruined anyone’s career
Karan Johar has been considered the biggest face of nepotism in Bollywood for many years. He has often faced accusations on social media of promoting star kids and ignoring outsider artists.
Addressing these accusations in a podcast interview with Raj Shamani, Karan said that he has been an insider in the film industry because his father was part of the industry.
He said, ‘People call me the brand ambassador of nepotism, but my father only saw struggle. Yes, I got my first opportunity because of him, but this happens in every profession.’
Karan revealed that his father took a big risk by trusting him. He said, ‘If my first film had flopped, we might have had to sell even our house.’
The filmmaker had also said that he doesn’t ask for character certificates from anyone. For him, work is the biggest religion. He had said, ‘I just want to do my work with hard work, passion and honesty. I have never ruined anyone’s career, I have only done my work.’
Karan Johar’s heart has been broken twice Karan Johar wrote the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in just 9 days. In a conversation with Jay Shetty, Karan had revealed that his heart was broken twice and the pain of the second time was so deep that the story of the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was born from it.
When Karan was asked, ‘Has your heart ever been broken?’ Karan replied, ‘Yes, twice. The second time was more difficult.’
Karan had revealed that his second relationship was quite long and he channeled the pain of that one-sided love into Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. He had said, ‘The story of one-sided love is my own story. The character played by Ranbir Kapoor in that film is me, because I was after someone whom I couldn’t have.’
Karan Johar has not married anyone and he became a single parent to twin children (Yash and Roohi) through surrogacy in the year 2017.
‘The only Indian director to attend Met Gala’ Apart from films, Karan Johar’s looks and fashion sense are also much talked about. Due to designer outfits, unique jackets, stylish glasses and luxury lifestyle, he is counted among the most fashionable celebrities of Bollywood.
Filmmaker Karan Johar became the first Indian film director to walk the red carpet at the international fashion event Met Gala in the year 2026.
Karan’s look was named ‘Framed in Eternity’. This outfit was inspired by the historical artworks and paintings of India’s great painter Raja Ravi Varma (such as ‘Hans Damayanti’ and ‘Arjuna and Subhadra’).
