6 recent confessions by Karan Johar on family, money and sexuality
In a recent interview, filmmaker Karan Johar talked about raising his kids Yash and Roohi, spending big on luxury accessories, and getting offended by mimics.
Filmmaker Karan Johar has always been very introspective and articulate, whether it comes to his movies, talk show, or even about his personal life – family and sexuality included. In an interview with Faye D'Souza, he had some confessions to share about raising his kids, spending big on luxury accessories, and getting offended by mimics. (Also Read – Karan Johar on body dysmorphia; the need to put out lights during intimacy: ‘I don't want you to see…’)
On not subjecting son to baritone class
Karan recalled that he went to baritone classes after entering college. “I went for a public speaking class. There was a gentleman who told me at the end of the class, ‘Karan, you have a very effeminate demeanour and life is not going to be easy for you. So why don’t you work on your voice skills?' He actually sent me to a class that would bring some kind of baritone into my voice. All that time, I'd tell my dad (late film producer Yash Johar) that I'm at a computer class because I wouldn't tell him that this was what I was going to do. I was just trying to become… and lord, I'd never do that to my child today. I'd never do that. If my son had any kind of… I'd be like, ‘Be yourself.’ But no one was there to tell this to you then. They'd actually put things in your mouth just to open your voice up,” Karan said.
On his kids asking who their mother is
Karan said theirs is a modern family since he's a single father who conceived his kids, Yash and Roohi Johar, through surrogacy. His kids have started asking him, “whose stomach was I born in." Though they call Karan's mother and film producer Hiroo Johar “mumma,” they've figured out that she's not their biological mother but their grandmother. Karan said they're seeking counselling to navigate that.
On fat-shaming his son
“I'm really struggling with saying insensitive stuff to my own children. And it came out, and I'm deeply, deeply apologetic to my child. I said, ‘Yash, you’ve put on weight.' I said it this time, we were on a holiday. I went into my room and said, ‘Why did you do this!’ Then I went outside, hugged him, and said, ‘I’m really sorry, please eat what you want',” Karan said. He added that he was obese in childhood and got that genetically from his mother. He can see his son drawn towards sugar like them but tries not to dictate to him.
On his mother crying while watching news anchors bashing him
During the pandemic, a bunch of mainstream news channels targeted Karan and blamed him for every flaw of Bollywood. He recalled watching his mother cry while watching TV – when a news anchor was bashing him. Hiroo even asked Karan why he's being targeted for a larger issue.
On his CEO asking him about buying expensive stuff
Karan claimed that while he belonged to an upper-middle-class family in childhood, his father always pampered him because he was a Punjabi. Thus, Karan is used to living beyond his means. He said he spends most of his money on luxury accessories since that gives him joy. He bought a handbag worth ₹35 lakh as an heirloom piece, that he'd pass on to his daughter, and its price was flashed across news portals. That even reached his childhood friend and Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta, who then asked Karan if he actually bought that expensive a bag.
On ‘empowering’ the comedian who mimicked him
Karan recently called out comedian Paritosh Tripathi for mimicking him in bad taste on the TV show Madness Machaenge. However, he said in the interview that he shouldn't have done so because it only ‘empowered’ a show that no one was watching anyway.
On the work front, Karan recently produced Kill and is coming up with Showtime and Bad Newz, among other films and shows.