In the compelling session at the 21st Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Johar and Theron touched on various aspects of their careers and the industry, with a reflection on the Writers Guild strike in the West. Theron, who is also a producer, said, “Cinema is evolving, so we need to evolve. Our unions need to evolve, and how we find space in this world needs to evolve. It was a no-brainer for all of us to say technology is really stepping in and taking a big part, and it’s great. We’re excited about it. But where do we fit into all of that?’ It was way overdue. It’s incredibly fair for performers to ask how you guys see the future. And let us get ahead of it instead of chasing it’. I am very optimistic about the future.”

The conversation then shifted to Theron’s experiences as an ‘outsider’ in Hollywood and the challenges she faced, particularly when it came to auditions. The actor candidly shared her initial confidence, describing how she approached auditions with a fearless attitude, believing she was the perfect fit for the job: “I had a weird naive confidence. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m the one you want for this job!’” 

However, her South African accent proved to be a significant hurdle, and her limited knowledge of acting presented additional challenges. To which Johar humorously shared his own early experiences in the film industry, recalling his mother’s question about his ability to place a camera on the first day of shooting the iconic movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998).

Despite a career spanning over two decades, an Oscar to her name and numerous acclaimed performances, the Monster (2003) actor revealed that she has yet to experience a defining moment in her Hollywood journey. “I still don’t have that moment. I still think I’m going to get fired from every job,” she said.

The actor made international headlines a couple of years ago when she demanded that she be paid the same as her co-star, Chris Hemsworth, in The Huntsman: Winter’s War in 2016. About that, she said, “The bottom line is that we should get paid the same as men as long as we do the same job”. She urged women to ask, saying, “Sometimes you might be surprised by the answer”. She also took a moment to appreciate her male colleagues as allies in this pursuit.