Karan Johar says the biggest issue of Bollywood is ‘herd mentality’: Everybody wants to make horror comedies

Karan Johar is wary of those who think they can recreate the success of films like Stree 2 or Chhaava. He said that he is not interested in building a universe.

Karan Johar thinks several people in the film industry are trying to emulate a success story to capitalise on the audience's interest and make their own films work. However, that is not going to work. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, when Karan was asked what is currently the biggest issue that is plaguing Bollywood, Karan said it is ‘herd mentality’ and went on to explain his point. (Also read: Karan Johar says he wants his kids Yash and Roohi to be like Shah Rukh Khan's kids Aryan Khan, Suhana Khan: Here's why)

Karan Johar reflected on the current crisis that Bollywood needs to get rid of. (AFP)

What Karan said

During the interaction, Karan said, “I think it is everybody grappling to do what others are doing. We see Pushpa running and catering so strongly to the tier-2 and tier-3 audiences, suddenly, we will see 20 others wanting to do the same. You see Chhaava working, everybody would want to make historicals. Stree and everybody wants to make horror comedies. Those worked because they were individually strong, and there was no other option in that genre. It was a unique thought that made those films work. ”

‘My universe is cinema’

He went on to add, “We all need to have individual thoughts that are unique to ourselves. Someone asked me the other day, ‘Do you have a universe?’ I was like, ‘As in?’ They were like, ‘A spy universe or a cop universe.’ I was like, ‘My universe is cinema itself.’ I am not here to build universes, I am here to tell stories. In that story if there's a universe, then why not?”

Karan was recently at the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of his film Homebound, a film that was backed by his banner Dharma Productions. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor.