Karan Johar dropped important details about his upcoming directorial, Takht, but compared the epic set during Mughal times to his family drama, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. In an interview to Film Companion, the filmmaker teased new details about the film, “It’s about two warring brothers and it’s based on facts.” Speculation was rife that the film may be based on the war between Shahjehan’s son Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh with Ranveer Singh in Aurangzeb’s role and Kareena Kapoor Khan as his sister and the first lady of the Mughal Empire, Jahanara Begum. However, it remains unconfirmed yet.
The audience were taken aback by Karan taking up an epic, a genre he has never experimented with before; the filmmaker is known for his stories set in contemporary India. Scale-wise, Takht will be Karan’s biggest film, he confirmed. The director is known for larger-than-life family dramas such as the aforementioned K3G, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Name is Khan and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Karan most recently directed a short film as part of the Netflix anthology Lust Stories.
“It’s like the K3G of the Mughal era. But it’s more extreme, there is more betrayal. It’s has the tropes of court politics. It’s so rich in texture,” he said in the interview.
“I’m really petrified,” he said. “It’s not the scale. It’s also the relationship dynamics.” Speaking about the film’s cast, which includes Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Anil Kapoor, he said, “It’s an unusual mix of talent. They are actors who have walked the parallel path, we have the superstar dynamic with Kareena (Kapoor), there’s Anil Kapoor who I have never directed before – but each actor fits the part to the tee. It’s not that I have gone to them because I have access. It’s a strange dichotomy. Each one has never played a part like this and yet each one fit it perfectly.”
{{/usCountry}}“I’m really petrified,” he said. “It’s not the scale. It’s also the relationship dynamics.” Speaking about the film’s cast, which includes Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Anil Kapoor, he said, “It’s an unusual mix of talent. They are actors who have walked the parallel path, we have the superstar dynamic with Kareena (Kapoor), there’s Anil Kapoor who I have never directed before – but each actor fits the part to the tee. It’s not that I have gone to them because I have access. It’s a strange dichotomy. Each one has never played a part like this and yet each one fit it perfectly.”
{{/usCountry}}With Ranveer in the lead role, comparisons with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s historical trilogy were to be expected. “I would be lying if I didn’t admit that the comparison is very challenging. I love Sanjay’s aesthetic. The comparison scares me but I hope I can find my own voice. I hope I’m not doomed by comparison,” Karan said.
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