Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 20, 2017)

What strikes you about Karan Johar, even more than his fashion choices, is his power of articulation. Yet, when you talk to him about fatherhood, the new daddy chooses his words carefully, as if almost certain that nothing he says can do justice to the joy that his twins bring him.

Johar says Yash and Roohi have anchored him, brought a sense of calm in his chaotic world. “They are only eight months old, but they have given me a strong sense of being. In their own way, they have made me a far more responsible adult. Until their birth, I was floating around without any kind of mission. But now, I have developed life goals,” he says.

After ruling the world of films for 20 years, Johar, at 45, is happy to be in a space where diaper duties take precedence over directorial ones. “Giving time to my mother [Hiroo Johar] and my babies are my paramount priorities. I never had a plan ahead for my life. Now I do — for myself, my home and everything. Along with my office, my heart too finally has a plan.”

Besides the new addition to his family, the year also saw the release of his autobiography, An Unsuitable Boy. From his sexuality to his strained relationship with former best friend Kajol, the filmmaker bared his heart out in the memoir. Ask him if he’ll consider writing a second book given the wide appreciation the first one received and he says, “It will be two decades later when I have many more things to say. I will probably be a lot braver and stronger at 65.”

A conversation with him can’t be complete without mentioning Koffee With Karan, especially after the last season almost left the industry divided on nepotism. Many feel that the show focusses purely on the younger crop of actors, as they generate TRPs with their controversial remarks. But Johar argues that several senior actors have graced the couch as well. “I was the first to bring Jaya ji [Bachchan] and Hema ji [Malini] with their respective daughters. Hema ji and Zeenat ji [ Aman] came together once, as did Javed [Akhtar] saab and Shabana ji [Azmi], Rishi ji and Neetu ji [Kapoor]. So I have had the true legends of Indian cinema on the show.”

He adds that the next season of the show is in the offing. “I plan to come back with the sixth season soon. It is loved not just in the country, but across the Indian diaspora.”