‘I will never make Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2’

Sonal Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 21, 2026)

Iconic — the adjective doesn’t just describe the body of work, but the man behind it as well. Filmmaker-host-actor Karan Johar, in a candid chat on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra, talks about everything under the sun — his upcoming films and the underworld threat looming large over the film industry to the rumours around a possible comeback of a much-loved film. Excerpts

The biggest speculation right now is whether Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2 is on the cards. There’s also buzz around whether it has something to do with the Takht script being revised. Any comments?
There is no Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2 (K3G2), and there is no derivative of Takht being made. I’d never make a K3G2. I’m not saying K3G was the best film ever made, not at all. Every film has its flaws, but what K3G has in abundance is nostalgia. Generations have grown up watching that film — for what they’ve loved, what they haven’t, what they’ve cried about and laughed with. They love the movie, and I’m very grateful to the universe that I got to create a film that still lives on. I would never mess with that nostalgia or the love the film has, because you’re setting yourself up for disaster when you make a film like K3G2. So yes, the absolute truth is there is no K3G2.

About Takht...
There isn’t a revival of Takht right now on the cards. But that is a film I will definitely make while I can still breathe and stand on my feet.

I consider it to be the strongest screenplay that was developed, written by Sumit Roy. Full credit to him — he’s the writer of the film — and I believe it’s the best-written piece of work in my career. What I have been developing is something nobody’s actually talking about. Thank God for that. So in the garb of this rumour, in the garb of this K3G speculation, actually jo ho raha hai, jo main likh raha hoon, jo main banane wala hoon, uske baare mein koi baat nahi kar raha.

You have just returned from a vacation with your kids, Yash and Roohi. Who’s closer to how you were as a child?
Roohi. She’s a quieter, empathetic, hypersensitive child. She also follows parental instructions, which is what I did. I was a good kid. Yash is a little more of a brat, but he’s also very sensitive. They are good kids.

We’re hearing about you and Sidharth Malhotra coming together for a film. Is there something you want to share?
Sid has been a student (launched by me in Student Of The Year; 2012), and he’s also been very close to the film company. We consider him and Kiara (Advani) family to us. Sid and I have been chatting about the possibility of coming together for a strong film, but right now it’s all too soon.

What is it with you and these blind items that seem to take a liking to you?
I have no idea! Maybe I don’t have an interesting life, so this is what makes my life interesting. I always say: love me, hate me, just don’t be indifferent to me. And I’m glad that Reddit, blind items or speculation keep the interest in what I’m doing alive. That means I may have done something right in my life to have created this sense of curiosity around me. Many of those blind items, when I read them, I find hilarious. Some of them are quite close to the truth, and some are distant from reality... Many a time, I’m amused, but I no longer get upset or angry at either the trolling or the speculation.

It’s good to hear you say that, because like everyone else, you’ve also had moments where it’s affected you. Today, many in the fraternity face intense negativity. If you had to give one piece of advice to stay unaffected, what would it be?
Many celebrity friends have asked me, ‘Why are you so calm even in a crisis?’ Even when there was a lot of Bollywood bashing happening at one point, a very close friend, who is also a movie star, came over and said, ‘Is everything okay? Why are you so calm? You should be reacting’. My parents raised me to know that if something is completely untrue, and people don’t know the person you are, then what is the point of getting upset? I would be upset if what they were saying about me was actually true.

Recently, you said talent management is becoming a difficult profession to sustain. Having spent three decades in the industry and launched many careers, do you feel there is less gratitude among the younger generation today?
The younger generation, with social media, technology and constant noise around them, is very restless and anxious. So I think we’re dealing with an anxiety-ridden generation that wants validation of stardom very fast. I don’t blame them because they are judged daily. None of us, when we started off, were recipients of this level of judgment. The kind of scrutiny that exists today is traumatizing. It can take a toll on your mental health. So I don’t judge them for decisions they make in their life and career that I may or may not agree with. I get it. I hear them. I see what they’re going through.

If you ask me whether I want my children to enter this profession, I can’t give you a resounding yes, because I know how tough it is, even for insiders.

There’s also an anti-incumbency factor when it comes to staying with one agency for long…
It’s the way of the world, and you have to accept it. As a filmmaker, I don’t work with just one actor all the time. I want to try different artistes, stories and technicians. So if someone wants a fresh start or a different approach, that’s fine. Anyone who has left our agency, I will always wish them well and continue to work with them. Many have left and I still collaborate with them. I’m not a talent manager per se, it’s just one arm of my company. I’m a filmmaker first. If someone is right for my film, I won’t cast them based on which agency they belong to.

There’s also concern about recent threats in the industry. Do you feel those difficult times linked to the underworld could return?
It is very worrisome... My thoughts are with those facing it today. But I do believe we are in good hands. Authorities act immediately and provide security. Every time I’ve reached out in a difficult situation, my city and state have been very supportive. I’ve always felt protected here, and I believe we will continue to be.

What makes Karan Johar the most angry, and what makes you the saddest?
What makes me angry is people who are not on time. I have an aversion to lack of punctuality. What makes me sad… I’m an old-fashioned loyalist. I will always be grateful to Aditya Chopra (filmmaker), Shah Rukh Khan (actor) and Yash Raj Films for being my mentors and my beginning. I say with pride that I would wipe the floors of YRF and Red Chillies. I would do anything that was asked because I owe my entire being to them. I don’t know if that level of loyalty exists anymore. But I am grateful to those who remain loyal to me. That is the first quality I look for in a person.