Apart from giving Bollywood candy floss romances a glossy makeover and dressing up B-towners in chic designs, Karan Johar, aka KJo, has also gained recognition as host of a fun chat show (Koffee With Karan). So, in keeping with his K-offee tradition, we chatted with the film-maker, only our telephone conversation meant the hot cuppa remained merely imagery.
Coming from an industry that heavily guards its deep, dark secrets, KJo appeared a tad uninhibited, playing up the controversies but without divulging much. So, when he tagged rival and Twitter-squabble buddy Ram Gopal Varma as a "potential friend", we knew his game plan. In fact, that's exactly why his chat show is so popular, meriting a third season on the telly this month.
Considering that KJo has had the honour of featuring almost all the big names in the industry, either in his films or talk show, it's interesting that he still holds a tiny wish-list. "I'd love to work with Sridevi and Madhuri. Or at least call them for a cup of coffee on my show."
His Bollywood connections are often played up, particularly his fondness for buddy Shah Rukh Khan. Media speculation mounted due to his unwillingness to pitch any other actor as his film's hero. So, SRK's absence from his production We R Family was conspicuous, especially since it had Kajol in the lead. "If Shah Rukh ever had to do a film with Dharma productions, it'd be one that I'd direct."
While Johar has no qualms about how his relationship with SRK is perceived, he admits there are times when he gets "sporadically" miffed with the media's obsession. "Shah Rukh is like family. I move from anger to indifference to abusive." In fact, KJo equates all the misadventures to his peculiar relationship with the media. "I think the media is like your spouse. There are good days and bad ones."
Of late, barring My Name is Khan, KJo has slowed down on the directorial front, diverting more time towards play production. After his most recent I Hate Luv Storys, he set a trend of sorts by buying the official adaptation rights for Stepmom (We R Family). "I believe everything should be official. We are proud it's the first official Hollywood adaptation."
Talking of promotions, it's intriguing how films nowadays are on an endorsement overdrive. KJo's films aren't an exception, and he attributes this trend to herd mentality. "If ten people do film promotions, then everyone joins in. How much of it works we'll never know."
Apart from the designer clothes and exotic locations, the KJo staple also includes interesting casting choices. Whether it's Abhishek Bachchan-John Abraham in Dostana or Ranbir Kapoor-Konkona Sen Sharma in Wake Up Sid, his lead pairs have been unusually quirky, yet likeable. Keeping with his unique casting tradition, he teamed power-house performers Kajol with Kareena Kapoor for We R Family. While the movie didn't flag off the big bucks at the box office, it didn't go unnoticed either. Notwithstanding the glamour quotient, KJo, however, maintains "the mainstay (of his films) are the emotions".
Aside from the regular romances, he has now made a foray into comedy. And while his contemporaries lack the ability to laugh at themselves, KJo remains an exception. His production I Hate Luv Storys portrayed a comical character resembling Johar. "The director (Punit Malhotra) is in denial. It was a take-off on me and the bubble-gum world I've created."
In fact, he threw us completely off-guard when he picked the hard-hitting Udaan as a film he wished he had produced. "But I would've been incapable of directing it. It's not in my DNA."
Even though the India Fashion Week always sees KJo dressing up B-town biggies, with this year's showstoppers being the lead cast of his earlier blockbuster Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Ghum - Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan - walking the ramp, he insists his designs aren't spectacular. "Fashion is just a hobby... something I do for fun."
And while he isn't making or talking movies, KJo is a regular on the tweeting circuit. "It's an easy connect and I like the inner democracy."
So, while KJo busies himself with an untitled film featuring Imran Khan and Kareena and Dostana 2, we'll keep a close eye on him via the virtual world.
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