Filmmaker Karan Johar has opened up about his creative process, and personal evolution as a director. Karan admitted to making mistakes in his earlier movies, and explained how his views on intense romance have changed over time. What he once thought was passion, he later learned was no different from stalking. The filmmaker also revealed the advice given by fellow filmmaker Zoya Akhtar.
In an interview with Film Companion, Karan said, “I never viewed Rocky Aur Rani as a love story; I saw it as my homage to Hindi cinema. What I aimed to do was bring in a commentary on things I strongly believe in. I grew up dancing to Indian music on my own and being mocked by my friends. Moreover, I grew up understanding that people can have love stories that are brushed under the carpet because I’ve known it in my own family.”
Karan continued, “The cancel culture scene in the film is something that I firmly believed in, because I was fed up with people telling you to shut up when you say the wrong thing. I’m like, ‘Teach me, I might say the incorrect thing.’ I realised much later what stalking was.. I was like, ‘This man is chasing this woman and really pursuing – how romantic’. Till one day I was sat down and given a lecture by Zoya Akhtar.’”
As Karan pointed out, age and parenthood have heightened his awareness about the importance of gender politics. He said, “When you see all that you do, and the mistakes that you make, the gender politics of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai I understand are incorrect as compared to the gender politics of Rocky Aur Rani because now I’ve evolved, I’ve understood.” As a counterargument, Karan cited the example of Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who doesn’t seem to be concerned about cancel culture. “Then you have someone like Sandeep Reddy Vanga telling you, ‘Why are you listening to anybody? Just do your own thing.’ Still, I feel like you’ve got to kind of understand that with age comes evolution,” he said.
Karan made a comeback with the film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which was released in theatres in July 2023. Starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, the romantic drama received positive reviews, and earned more than Rs 350 crore at the worldwide box office.
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Karan Johar says Zoya Akhtar gave him a lecture on why stalking is wrong: ‘Then you have someone like Sandeep Reddy Vanga…’ – The Indian Express
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