Known for his grand, colorful films and focus on love stories,
Karan Johar
has launched the careers of numerous Bollywood actors and filmmakers through his production company,
Dharma Productions
. He’s received prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, from the Indian government and is a major force shaping Hindi cinema.
Karan Johar often includes nationalistic moments and dialogues in his movies, making it clear that he is a proud Indian.
Recently, the director-producer himself confirmed his love for his country. During a conversation with
GlobalSpa Magazine
, he mentioned that he was very proud to be an Indian and to have been born in such a vast and culturally rich land, where one could tell a million stories and still not cover everything.
During a conversation with GlobalSpa Magazine, he mentioned that he was very proud to be an Indian and to have been born in such a vast and culturally rich land, where one could tell a million stories and still not cover everything.
He added that he was a strong believer in their traditions. While acknowledging that they were evolving and accepting modern society by being progressive and woke, he emphasized that some aspects of their upbringing were deeply embedded in the tradition of their rich country. These included respecting parents, elders, and forefathers, teaching children the right manners, and being hospitable, which he believed was in their DNA. He expressed his love for these truly and traditionally Indian aspects, stating that they were authentically theirs and that he was proud to carry them wherever they went, even traveling with their emotions on their sleeves.
Giving an example of the tradition of performing rituals for two weeks after someone passes away, he mentioned that he appreciated how they were sometimes overtly and hyper-emotional, and occasionally a tad melodramatic, but they did not keep these feelings to themselves.
He further added, “And the opposite of death is life, marriage, and relationships. When we have marriages, where else in the world do you see events like ours? Our sangeet is now traveling across the world after being a traditionally North Indian phenomenon. Not only other states, but many from the West have also started embracing it. Western countries are also emulating our clothes and rituals. I feel like the color of our weddings is brighter than any other culture’s.”
However, his other productions this year, ‘Yodha and ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan,’ didn’t meet box office expectations. This mixed performance highlights the ever-changing landscape of Bollywood, where even established directors like Johar have to adapt and experiment to find success. Despite this, the anticipation remains high for ‘Mr. and Mrs. Mahi,’ as Johar attempts to bounce back with a fresh story, possibly signaling a shift in his filmmaking approach.
