Karan Johar reflects on childhood isolation: 'I wasn't boy enough or man enough'
, who is currently promoting 'Dhadak 2,' has recently opened up about his young days and the emotional challenges he faced while growing up as he was labelled as 'feminine'. Johar shared that he often felt different from other children and struggled to find acceptance among his people.
Karan Johar says he was told he was 'more feminine than he should be'
In a conversation with Jay Shetty, Johar revealed that during his childhood in the 80s, he was frequently told that he was 'more feminine than they should be.' He recalled being excluded from group activities and sports, saying, 'I wasn't sporty enough. I wasn't boy enough or man enough.' The filmmaker added that his hobbies and interests did not align with those of other boys his age, which made him feel isolated.
Karan Johar wanted to belongs before he dreamed of filmmaking
Reflecting on his emotional state at the time, Johar said his dreams and ambitions came much later.
As a child, his primary desire was to belong. He remembered living in apartment blocks where children would gather to play in the evenings, but he was rarely chosen to join. 'I wanted to be part of the football team. I wanted to play cricket with the boys,' he said, adding that his exclusion left a lasting impact.
Aditya Chopra
and
Shah Rukh Khan
shaped Karan Johar's career
Johar credited Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan for helping him enter the film industry. He shared that his family was initially against him continuing his father's legacy, but Chopra convinced his mother to let him assist on the sets of 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.' Later, Shah Rukh Khan placed his trust in Johar's directorial abilities, which led to the launch of his career The filmmaker concluded by saying that whatever he is today, it's all because of Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Siddhant Chaturvedi on Ishaan Khatter: "I want his body" : Exclusive
Siddhant Chaturvedi admires Ishaan Khatter's fitness. He wants to steal Ishaan's physique. Siddhant notes Ishaan's glow-up. He acknowledges Ishaan's style evolution. Ishaan is turning heads with his appearances. Siddhant recognizes Ishaan's transformation. He appreciates Ishaan's focus on physicality. Ishaan's fashion sense is also praised. The industry and fans notice Ishaan's sharper image. In the ever-evolving world of showbiz, friendships often flicker in and out with projects. But for Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter , the camaraderie has only deepened since their zany supernatural comedy Phone Bhoot. Whether it's sharing screen space or cracking jokes off-camera, the duo has been thick as thieves — and the admiration is mutual. Siddhant Chaturvedi & Triptii Dimri Get Candid On Dhadak 2; BTS, Banter & Getting Whacked? WATCH Recently, while promoting his upcoming film Dhadak 2 with Triptii Dimri in an exclusive interview with ETimes, we asked Siddhant what he'd like to steal from Ishaan Khatter. Without skipping a beat, Siddhant replied with a grin, 'I want his body. He's looking very good. He's always been fit, honestly, but there's a glow-up on him right now.' Incidentally Ishaan entered the industry with Dhadak opposite Janhavi Kapoor which was based on Nagraj Manjule 's Sairat. It's the kind of praise that doesn't just come from a co-star, but from someone who's genuinely been tracking a friend's evolution over time. Siddhant added, 'I've seen his muscles grow with time. I've known him for a long time, but I think he's in his best shape now. And he's killing it!' Indeed, Ishaan Khatter has been turning heads lately — from his confident red carpet appearances to his bold editorial shoots, especially after his breakout in The Royals and a string of high-impact magazine covers that showcased his evolving fashion-forward persona. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo Siddhant acknowledged this shift with enthusiasm: 'He's like the internet sensation right now… after Royals and the magazine shoots. And he's pushing style and fashion. That's something to really steal.' The praise comes not just as a compliment to Ishaan's fitness, but also as recognition of his intentional transformation — both physically and in terms of personal branding. While he's always been recognized for his energetic screen presence and dance prowess, it's his recent focus on physicality, style, and sharper public appearances that's caught the industry's and fans' eyes alike.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 Struggles For Screens As Saiyaara, Mahavatar Narsimha Dominate
Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 struggles to secure screens for its August 1 release as exhibitors favor current hits Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha. Ajay Devgn's much-awaited comedy sequel Son of Sardaar 2 is finding it difficult to secure screens just days ahead of its theatrical release on August 1. Despite the star power and the franchise's earlier success, the film's release strategy has hit a major hurdle, as cinema exhibitors across India appear hesitant to allocate enough showtimes to the title, especially with recent hits still dominating the box office. According to a report by Pinkvilla, the film's distributors have been pushing for a significant 60 per cent share of total shows, but many exhibitors have been unwilling to comply. 'Exhibitors are willing allot not more than 35 per cent of shows at their properties," the report states. 'While some single screens have agreed on two-shows per-day, the non-national chains are willing to give not more than 35 per cent shows to Son of Sardaar 2. This has left PVRInox fuming, and the fight is on to secure more shows." The reluctance comes at a time when current box office performers like Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha continue to draw substantial footfall. Displacing these crowd-pullers is seen as a financial risk for theatre owners. With both films still gaining momentum, exhibitors are prioritising them over new releases. In contrast, Dhadak 2, which releases the same day as Son of Sardaar 2l has sidestepped the problem by opting for a limited rollout. 'Dhadak 2 team is going tight with their release with about 1000 screens on the first day. They are not looking for a wide release, and content with a strategic release on 1000 screens, mainly focused towards the urban markets," the report adds. The makers of Son of Sardaar 2 had originally planned a wide release across 3,500 screens nationwide. However, due to current conditions, that number may drop to around 2,500. Final decisions on screen allocation are expected by July 31 morning, as negotiations between producers and exhibitors continue. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar 2 struggles for screens amid Saiyaara wave, makers offer 50% discounted tickets
The unexpected, unprecedented box office success of Mohit Suri's romantic drama Saiyaara, starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, took the film industry by surprise. It prompted Ajay Devgn to push his new release, Vijay Kumar Arora's comedy Son of Sardaar 2, by a week from July 25 to August 1 in order to ensure enough screens for his long-awaited sequel. However, as Saiyaara continues its dominant run, with last week's release following closely, it looks like Son of Sardaar 2 won't get the number of screens it was aiming for, especially in the single screens or non-national cinema chains. While PVRINOX is trying to get 60% of shows across all Indian screens, it may just have to settle for a meagre 35%. As per a Pinkvilla report, Son of Sardaar 2 distributors PVRINOX has been insisting on four shows a day from single screens. However, many of these single screens have decided to skip Son of Sardaar 2 altogether to have more shows of both Saiyaara and Ashwin Kumar's animated mythological film Mahavatar Narsimha, which is presented by Hombale Films, the production house behind pan-India blockbusters like KGF and Kantara. Saiyaara, which released on July 18, is now in its second week, but in no mood to slow down. It's collected Rs 266 crore at the domestic box office in just 12 days. It's also become the highest-grossing Hindi film starring newcomers. It's backed by Aditya Chopra's Yash Raj Films, which famously jostled with Devgn Films back in 2012 when the first part, Ashwni Dhir's Son of Sardaar, released in cinemas. Devgn sued YRF for illegally snatching away screens from Son of Sardaar on Diwali in favour of Yash Chopra's romantic drama Jab Tak Hai Jaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma. YRF had struck a deal with cinemas across the country in which they had to give majority screens to Jab Tak Hai Jaan in advance while buying YRF's previous blockbuster, Kabir Khan's spy thriller Ek Tha Tiger, starring Salman Khan and Katrina. Along with Saiyaara, Mahavatar Narsimha is also proving to be a formidable competition to Son of Sardaar 2. The film has already collected Rs 29.35 crore in just five days of run at the domestic box office. To make matters worse, Shazia Iqbal's romantic drama Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, is also releasing in cinemas this Friday on August 1. Like Son of Sardaar 2, Dhadak 2 is also a sequel — to Shashank Khaitan's 2018 hit Dhadak — albeit with a new cast and director. The production house, Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, is going the Kesari 2 way with this film. It's releasing only in 1000 screens across India, focusing on the urban centres, with more screens expected to add in case the word of mouth is in their favour. In order to attract footfalls, both the new releases — Son of Sardaar 2 and Dhadak 2 — are offering 50% discounts on ticket prices using certain coupon codes. Also Read — Ajay Devgn had to rescue Deepak Dobriyal on Son of Sardaar 2 set after a woman pulled him to ladies washroom: 'He plays a woman in the film' With all these odds stacked against Son of Sardaar 2, as of now, the film is expected to rake in an opening day domestic figure in single digits — in the range of Rs 6 to Rs 9 crore. That's not only a massive drop from the opening day figure of Devgn's last release, Raj Kumar Gupta's thriller Raid 2 (Rs 19 crore) earlier this year, but even a decline from the opening day figure of Son of Sardaar (Rs 10 crore+) back in 2012.
