Amazon Prime Video launched the trailer of the much-awaited Amazon Original movie Shershaah in Kargil at the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations as a tribute to Param Vir Chakra-awardee Captain Vikram Batra and the Indian Armed Forces. The annual celebrations held to honour the heroes of the Kargil War (1999) served as the ideal stage to unveil the trailer of the film. The event was attended by Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, director Vishnu Varadhan, producers Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta, and Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video. The film is jointly produced by Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment and will premiere globally on Amazon Prime Video on August 12 across 240 countries and territories.

Shershaah, which is inspired by a true story, features Sidharth in the title role. The trailer of the film celebrates the bravery and gallant spirit of Captain Vikram Batra (PVC) and honours his sacrifice during the Kargil War. It is the story of a soldier who not only became an inspiration, but also a legend for generations to come. Staying true to his codename, ‘Shershaah’, Captain Batra fought till his last breath in one of the toughest mountain warfare missions.

Vijay Subramaniam says, “Shershaah is our effort to bring to life the remarkable story of a braveheart who led one of the most difficult mountain warfare in history and fought valiantly to bring victory to India during the Kargil War. There would’ve been no better place for us to unveil the trailer for Shershaah than in the honourable company of the Indian Army and no better occasion than the celebrations marking India’s victory in the Kargil War. We are thrilled to partner with Dharma Productions and Kaash Entertainment for bringing this captivating story to our viewers in India and abroad.”

Karan Johar adds, “I feel privileged to be able to bring this momentous film, which celebrates the valour of Kargil War Hero, Captain Vikram Batra. My heart is filled with respect, it is an honour to unveil the trailer of our film amidst the Indian Armed Forces at the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Kargil. We are thrilled to have Shershaah premiere on Amazon Prime Video to a global audience.”

Vishal Batra, Shabbir Boxwalla, Vishnu Varadhan, Sidharth Malhotra, Chief of Defence Staff — General Bipin Rawat, Vijay Subramaniam, Kiara Advani, Apoorva Mehta, General Officer Commanding-In-Chief, Northern Command — General YK Joshi, and Karan Johar

BOMBAY TIMES (July 27, 2020)

The latest Bollywood celebrities to be summoned by Mumbai Police in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case are actress Kangana Ranaut and Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions (Karan Johar’s production house). Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt will be summoned, too. This was announced by Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday afternoon.

“Mahesh Bhatt’s statement will be taken. Kangana Ranaut has also been summoned. Whoever is needed, we will summon,” Deshmukh told the media. On being asked if Johar himself would be summoned, the minister replied, “Karan Johar’s manager has been summoned, and if needed we will summon Karan Johar as well.” News reports later verified it was Mehta, CEO of Johar’s production house, who had been summoned recently. The statement of Johar’s manager, Reshma Shetty, has been recorded earlier.

Bharati K Dubey (DNA; January 25, 2018)

Dharma Productions is probably the first Bollywood production house to shoot in Israel. They have shot their upcoming film Drive, directed by Tarun Mansukhani, which stars Sushant Singh Rajput and Jacqueline Fernandez in the Middle East country. Dharma CEO Apoorva Mehta speaks about Israel and his plan to have a theatrical release there.

What prompted you to shoot Drive in Israel?
I believe we are the first production house to film there. The narrative of Drive needed a certain portion to be shot abroad. Our director Tarun was looking for a location that offered all the cinematic trappings in one place — a scenic city scape, frisky beaches and location that was a blend of cultural heritage and the affluence of modern city. Our executive producer was in touch with the Tourism minister, who told her that we could look for Israel as an option.

There are reports that you will shoot Brahmastra there as well...
No, we are not going back to shoot for Brahmastra, but we are working with one person residing in Israel. He is Ido Portal, a holistic movement specialist, who is helping us with the styling for Brahmastra. We shot a dance-and-song sequence, which turned out to be a wonderful experience. We were very impressed with the way things were planned and laid out for us, so everything went off smoothly.

But do Bollywood films release in Israel?
There was a time when films did release in Israel. I remember meeting the distributor, but I think mostly the releases were on TV. Israel is a small territory and they are still not ready for it.

Do you intend to have a theatrical release of Drive?
There is a thought to release Drive in cinemas in Israel. We will definitely work around it, if we have somebody who can support us there. We will work with the Consul General and the Tourism Minister.

Bharati Dubey & Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 2, 2017)

The Hindi film industry is going through tough times, reeling under the impact of fewer hits and big-budget films failing. Amidst this, the Tamil Nadu government has slapped local body tax on the Hindi films. As per the new notification, non-Tamil films need to pay 20 per cent local body tax from this week. The film industry is unwilling to accept this burden, and plans to make a representation to the TN government. The concern is that other states will follow suit, further damaging the industry that has had a terrible year at the BO. Distributor Ramesh Sippy says, “Today, TN has levied this tax and if we don’t object, other states like Rajasthan, Bengal and Andhra Pradesh will do the same. We don’t need to look at the value but as a principle, we cannot allow this to happen to us.’’

High tax rate
Producer Ramesh Taurani says, “What has happened is unfair to us and we’ll be making a representation to the TN government soon.’’ Hindi film industry is already paying an entertainment tax of 48 per cent and an additional 28 per cent of GST. Kulmeet Makkar, CEO, Indian Film and Television Producers Guild says, “The additional tax would mean that audiences in Chennai will now have to pay 53.6 per cent as an effective gross tax on tickets for non-Tamil films. How can an industry survive with tax at this rate? Unless the state government wants to ensure that either the TN film industry is forced to shut down or the attempt is to make sure the audience in Chennai is deprived of films in other languages.’’ Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Production, adds, “I think this is not correct because the idea of GST was that it would be the one and only tax that’ll prevail. The film industry is already going through pressures in terms of the number of films that are doing well, this is only going to burden the whole business of films and everyone involved. This is something that needs to be avoided completely.”

A meeting soon
President of the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, L Suresh, said that Tamil films have to pay 10 per cent local body tax and they’re upset with the government, too. He said, “We are convening a meeting on Wednesday to request the government to withdraw this notification.’’

Will hamper footfalls
While the film industry plans to make a representation, some film trade people say that TN is not a big territory and one should not bother as it’s only five per cent business, and films with big star cast run in cinemas in that state. Unless they’re dubbed, the business is not big. T P Aggarwal says, “South Indian states had a cap on ticket pricing and it was affordable to everyone, but after additional taxation, the rates will go up and affect footfalls. As an industry, we’ll come together and fight against this. If we don’t resist, other states will also do the same. As it is, films are not doing well, and now, the local body taxation.”

Films that will suffer
“The Hindi industry must take a cue from this and put ideas together for its own benefit and protection. We’ve seen that governments do little to protect or promote us; it’s time we looked after ourselves and made sure governments did too,” stresses Anubhav Sinha. Films up for release in the coming months — Golmaal Again, Secret Superstar, Tiger Zinda Hai and Padmavati — will be affected.

Shailendra Singh: United we stand, divided we fall. This move makes this even truer. Why use entertainment as a political agenda? Sad new low in political strategy.

Nishikant Kamat: It is unfortunate... art should be above languages and provinces. It might instigate other states to emulate.

Sheetal Talwar: It’s protectionism at its best. Whereas Tamil cinema has its strength in the quality and style of storytelling, there is no reason that English, Hindi and Telugu cinema should not be given equal opportunity in a state where cinema and cinema viewing is a religion.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2017)

The last seven months in Bollywood have been marked by a distinctive onslaught of remixes of ’90s hits. Shaad Ali recycled A R Rahman’s foot-tapping composition “Humma Humma” from mentor mani ratnam’s 1995 film Bombay for his Aditya Roy Kapur-Shraddha Kapoor love story OK Jaanu in January. It was followed by Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which saw Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt borrow tunes and moves from Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit’s “Tamma Tamma”. Come March, Abbas-Mustan’s romance-thriller Machine which launched the former’s son Mustafa, threw it back to Mohra’s “Mast Mast”. Then, there are upcoming films like Lucknow Central, Tumhari Sulu, Baadshaho and Poster Boys falling in step with Monsoon Wedding’s folksy “Kaavan Kaavan”, Sridevi’s iconic “Hawa Hawaii”, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ghazal-qawwali “Mere Rashke Qamar” and Daler Mehndi’s “Kudiyan Shehar Diyan” from Arjun Pandit respectively. And the name that binds them all together single-handedly is Tanishk Baagchi.

Speaking to Mirror earlier (June 6) the 30-year-old composer had been disarmingly evasive as he argued that remixes have been around for a long time, pointing to Shefali Zariwala’s “Kaanta Lagaa”. But Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions which produced OK Jaanu and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, says that recreations come with the pressure of expectations. “But Tanishk’s compositions are fresh, with a vibe that connects with the youth, and simultaneously are a perfect tribute to the original,” he explains.

Shabbir Ahmed, who has worked with the music director on “Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast” as an additional lyrics writer, raves about his passion and sound quality. “He catches the right musical notes and dances in his seat to get the feel of his tune,” Shabbir laughs at the memory.

Nikkhil Advani, the producer of Lucknow Central, who went a step further and got Tanishk to further remix Arjunna Harjaie’s recreated version of “Kaavan Kaavan” for promotions, had been so confident about the composer’s talent, that he’d been recommending him all over town even before he hit pay dirt. “I think filmmakers are reaching out to him because he has executed so many recreations successfully,” Nikkhil reasons, adding that Tanishk’s original stuff is just as fantastic. He’s just heard two tracks Tanishk scored for Lucknow Central and two more for Baazaar, including “Kem Cho, Majama” for Saif Ali Khan who plays a Gujarati stock broker in the film. “He is not only extremely knowledgeable about music but the way he approaches a song, whether recreated or original, is unique,” Nikkhil avers.

Surprisingly, Tanishk himself isn’t too kicked about recreations. T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar who offered him “Mere Rashke Qamar”, also agrees that they should be collaborating more on original music. “But we are here to entertain and it’s a public demand we are fulfilling. I’ve explained to him that he is not just remixing an original track but recreating it. He works really hard on these compositions, changing the tune and even the antaras but retaining the original feel. He is doing a great job,” applauds Bhushan.

Abbas who knew Tanishk even before he entered the film industry says Mustaan and he have several of the youngster’s original compositions. “Since he was doing the entire Machine album we also asked him to recreate “Tu Cheez Badi”. We believe these recreations are making the originals even more popular. Tanishk will compose even for our next which we are currently scripting,” promises the man in white. For his sake we hope that this time he will be allowed to give his own mast mast tunes.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; March 17, 2017)

Fans of SS Rajamouli's Bahubali franchise have been on the tenterhooks after part 1 (2015) ended on a note of supense. However, the sequel's trailer, which was launched yesterday, promises to unlock the mystery to the past year's biggest question —why Kattappa killed Bahubali.

Cashing in on the hype around the second instalment, the makers have decided to re-release part one, a week before the sequel hits screens on April 28. This will be a relief to those who can only vaguely recall the plot of the 2015 film. Confirming the news, Rajamouli said, "I believe very few people missed it ([part 1) but re-releasing the film will pull everyone back into the narrative. We collectively arrived at the decision that it will be great idea to go ahead with a pan-India release."

The South blockbuster was among the most successful outings of the year, even making Rs 600 crore at the box office worldwide. Film co-producer Shobu Yarlagadda says, "The combined budget of both films is Rs 400-450 crore. We didn't earn profits for part one, but are sure of making a lot of money with the second film, which will compensate for the previous outing."

Meanwhile, the sequel's trailer was leaked online hours before the official launch. Apoorva Mehta, CEO-Dharma Productions, promoters of Bahubali 2, said, "It is disappointing and undermines the efforts of the producers, cast and crew. But, it's heartening to see Bahubali fans post messages online, assuring us that they will not promote the leaked content.''

Fearing MNS attack, single screen theatres in four states decide to shun Karan Johar’s Diwali release starring Pak actor Fawad Khan
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; October 15, 2016)

In fresh trouble for Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) has decided to suspend the screening of the Diwali release as well as all other upcoming films featuring Pakistani faces. This follows the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s demand for ban on artistes from across the border in the wake of the Uri attacks.

The decision effectively means Ae Dil... will not be shown in nearly 400 single screen theatres across Maharashtra, Gujarat, parts of Karnataka and Goa. That’s about 25 per cent of revenue loss for the film, trade pundit Amod Mehra estimates.

What’s more, with such hurdles, the multi-starrer’s box office competition — Ajay Devgn’s Shivaay — stands to benefit in terms of screens as well as business. “Shivaay is more of a single screen film, and with Ae Dil… denied a release, Devgn’s film will get all four shows.’’

Nitin Datar, president of COEAI, says, “We have not banned, but only suspended the release of films starring Pak actors. We will rethink our decision once our relationship with Pakistan is normal.”

Justifying the suspension, association member Sharad Doshi, who owns the city-based Central Plaza, says, “This is the smallest contribution we can make to the national cause.”

At this point, it isn’t clear if multiplex owners will follow suit. Devang Sampat of Cinepolis says, “We haven’t received any letter or intimation from the MNS or any association about such a decision. So, I would not like to comment now.”

The Film and Television Producers Guild of India led by Mukesh Bhatt blames it on fear psychosis among single screen theatre owners. “They have taken this call [not to screen the film] fearing damage to their property. We would request the government in power to assure protection. An Indian citizen [Johar] has made a film following all legalities, and it is his fundamental right to do business. The government needs to protect makers like him or else this country will be in a state of anarchy. An international studio is backing the film. If this climate of hate continues, will they invest in Indian films in future? The Prime Minister’s Make In India vision will be in jeopardy,” adds Bhatt.

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has cleared Ae Dil with a U/A certificate. Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani, interestingly, is on KJo’s side. “Once the CBFC certifies a film, no association has the right to ban it. I feel films that have already been shot should not be targeted.”

Sounding optimistic about a trouble-free date with movie buffs in theatres, Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions, says, “We are gearing up for its release on October 28. Diwali is all about love and Ae Dil is all about spreading love.

MNS, however, is in no mood to allow the makers to breathe easy. Stressing that multiplex owners in Mumbai have also been warned against screening Ae Dil, the party’s cine wing president Ameya Khopkar says, “If they don’t comply, we will stop the release in our style. We all know their buildings are made of costly glass.”

Inputs by Mohar Basu and Sonil Dedhia

Karan Johar on film, friends, relations, God, karma & more...
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; January 13, 2015)


You are having more fun in your 40s than in your 30s, or so it seems. True?
The 30s were initially tough for me. I lost my dad when I was 32, so it took me five-six years to find my feet. I had this big dream that I had to make my company go beyond my own name. I wanted Dharma Productions to resonate as a brand and that was definitely happening, but not to the extent I wanted it to.

Was that always the plan? I thought you always just wanted to direct.
When I lost my dad the first thought was, ‘Maybe I should just direct for outside productions and shut our own production company.’ I didn’t know how to handle finance and funds. I had been so mollycoddled and sheltered by dad, who took care of everything. But I think we have the inherent resilience in us that we don’t credit ourselves enough for. I think my upbringing was strong enough. I still remember the moment, four days after dad passed away I was in my office and a man walked in and said, ‘I am your chartered accountant.’ We had not met and I realised how little I knew about the running of this office.

What made you change your mind about shutting shop?
(After a long pause) Let me tell you something… I haven’t said this to anyone before… It’s very strange that you brought it up but there was a gentleman whose name I won’t mention, who was a very dear friend of my father, a very very well-known man. This respected gentleman called me and said “Can I come and meet you?” He is senior, so I said I would go see him but he said, ‘l need to come.’ He came. He handed over a letter that my dad had left for me. He said “Karan, this is not emotional, this is practical and pragmatic.” It was an emotional letter but had all the details about what I needed to do in terms of monies, the account numbers, people I should trust, people I should not trust. People who I should let go of within the organisation, people who I should get in touch with, etc. That letter became my Bible and eventually Apoorva’s (Mehta, his childhood friend and CEO) Bible and we kind of lived by it for the next few years. That’s something that I didn’t even tell my mother because I knew she would read it and get completely emotional. After reading that letter, I realised that my father actually had a vision for this company and I decided that no matter what, I will fulfill his dream.

And you produced your first film...
Yes, with Kaal, which we had planned when my father was alive. I was all set to shelve it but I told Apoorva, ‘Let’s make it. Let’s learn from our mistakes, it’s a small film, let’s go with it.” We made many mistakes with the production of that film — not putting aside how bad the film was. Creatively, of course, it was a terrible film. But I went with it, only because I said, ‘Let me make my mistakes in this one and then the ambition grew. I wanted to make this company the production house of this country. Because the last line of dad’s letter got to me. It said: ‘I am sure you will make Dharma Productions and I am leaving it in the best hands ever’. And he ended it with ‘I love you more than you know.’ I still have that letter with me. It’s my only religion, the only religious text I have. It’s my Hanuman Chalisa, it’s my Bhagvad Gita, it’s my father’s blessing, it’s everything. That’s why I stand tall today. No matter what obstacle, he’s the only man I talk to.

You don’t talk to God?
There is no God I go to. I stopped everything after dad passed away. I don’t go to any temple anymore because six months before that, (when his dad was unwell) you are so weak and vulnerable that you listen to everyone and do everything from feeding cows to chanting mantras to doing pujas, to visiting every temple, and meeting every possible spiritual consultant in the world. I did everything but nothing worked because the one who has to go, will go.

So what do you believe in?
I believe in this Universe, I believe in energy, and above all I believe in humanity, that is my religion. I am good to my loved ones, great to people who I work with. I am wonderful with the biggest love of my life — my mother — and I feel I do the right and the fair thing and that’s my religion. I don’t oppose your faith. Please don’t impose yours on me either, that’s my principle. I found a great amount of resonance in PK. I was like ‘Well done’ because someone is saying it on a larger scale. I have no problem with people who do it but I don’t do it, puja-paat. Do you know I walked into my new house on April 9, I chose the date on my own. I believe in the astrology of signs. I believe that there is a right time for something. I consult a lady called Lizia for numerology. I asked her which date and time I should enter the house and we moved in that day. There was no puja. On 18, 2 States released and it was a big hit and that was my sign. It’s a great house, and it has a great vibe. I don’t need to do a havan or a puja to make myself happy in that home. Home is where your heart is and if your heart is pure and clean, there is no environment that will not be clean.

So are sort of an atheist?
I gave up religion a long time ago. But I am not an atheist. I am somewhere trying to find my feet. I don’t understand spirituality. I don’t know what these words like ‘energy’ and ‘karma’, that are being constantly thrown at us, mean. When people say I am a spiritual person, they don’t even know what they are talking about. I have nothing against all the human gurus that exist, but dude! Nobody can teach me how to live my life. I have a good mother. I mean, I am really sorry, I have no problem with your faith, but all this seems like a big sham to me.

So coming back to the question. Are you enjoying your 40s more?
I am not having more fun, I am a lot more liberated now than I was in my 30s. I was carrying the baggage of responsibility. Today, I am living up to the responsibility. When I turned 40, I threw the biggest party. I said: I ain’t getting married, so I will have something like a wedding party. I will have a red carpet and I am going to call the industry that I grew up in, and the industry that has given me so much love, so I threw this big bash. I wore a Tom Ford suit — my favourite designer — and I posed with my mother before that when I went inside and I felt like right out of the Great Gatsby on my head. I was really excited about my own 40th birthday. This is the closest that can be to a wedding reception, so I said to people, ‘Come and give me expensive presents, because I have spent so much money on so many people’s weddings and birthdays. (laughs) Half the money I spent on their weddings has gone into alimony'. It’s such a waste, I have stopped giving wedding presents to people. I’ll see if they last otherwise why I should contribute to their alimony?

Any films of 2014 that you wish you had produced/directed?
None. Happy with what I saw. Like I loved, loved, loved Queen. Enjoyed PK thoroughly, big fan of Raju Hirani, loved so much of Haider. But no film that I felt like, I actually don’t get that feeling when I see other people’s films because when I see a great film invariably it’s a film that I can’t make that’s why I find it greater.

Why couldn’t you have produced PK?
Oh, I would have loved to produce, of course. I’ll do anything to have Rajkumar Hirani’s name in my repertoire, as a producer. I love him. I think he is possibly the country’s finest. But I am happy he did it for Vinod Chopra. His loyalty and allegiance to the production house is something I respect tremendously. Also, that’s the one thing I expect from the kids I have launched as directors.

Do you expect people –— actors and directors — who you launched to only work with you?
Sometimes I do, but I realise that expectation is something that I have grown to kind of, what do I say about expectations.. they only lead to disappointments, so I have learned not to expect anything from anyone.

You must have a contract that restricts them to doing their initial few projects with your production, right?
I have a three-film contract with the actors and directors, but if tomorrow somebody doesn’t want to, I’ll never stop them. I don’t have expectations from anyone. I gave that up. I service all my relationships, but I don’t expect that back. That to me is spirituality. I feel more spiritual because over the years I have mastered the art of expecting nothing from anyone because I think everyone is here for themselves and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s their life… Sometimes if they feel there is a better opportunity elsewhere they take it. Who will stand by me, who will not, time will tell. Right now, I am not cynical or cryptic, I am just a little more real about the level of loyalty in relationships. I am also a little wary. Though I try very hard to protect my emotions — because I realise eventually I am too sensitive, almost hyper sensitive, always fragile and I don’t want to be that because to be 42 years old and fragile is just not the way to be…

You are what you are…
Having said that, the flip side of me is that I am always there for people. I don’t think I am capable of letting down a human being and I say that with a lot of strength and a lot of assurance. The only thing I am adamant about is my character because I think I am capable of standing tall, I am capable of delivering on an emotional level, but I am not sure about people. I am not strategic about relationships. How do you strategise relationships and then those relationships will never last anyway if they are a result of strategy.

In recent years you have become friends with Aamir Khan...
Yes, Aamir is the last person I got close to and we had a chat and I told Aamir, ‘I picked up the vibe that you don’t like me.’ I feel in my life that’s rare because I am more or less liked. You can not know me but not liking me is an extreme reaction to have about me unless we have had a professional issue. If you don’t like my kind of cinema, I don’t have any problem with that. My thing is: If you don’t like my cinema I can’t hate you, its your opinion and you are a cinegoer and you have the right. I am a filmmaker and I don’t like a lot of my work, dude so it doesn’t matter what others think, I’ll pinpoint my own fault and tell you ‘isme yeh galat thi, isme woh galat hai.’ I remember Rensil (D’Silva) said to me, ‘Anurag is the right choice for dialogue but unfortunately you hate him.’ I was like, ‘I don’t hate him. He had a problem with me, I retaliated back in print. That’s it.’ I said, ‘If you think he is right, please call him.’ Anurag was shocked. He asked me, ‘You want to work with me?’ I said ‘Ya, I have no problem, you are great for the job.’ You don’t like my movies, you can’t really hate me, right? I loved Dev D, I absolutely loved Black Friday, I love Anurag’s work and then he grew to develop an equation with me down to directing me. Then he said, ‘I was wrong about you.’

Do most people get you wrong?
To be very honest, my projection is sometimes a result of my talk show. You know they think I am this fancy, high society, snooty person, I am none of those things. That’s the talk show. You bring on a certain sense of humour, a certain level of irreverence. Your character is not defined like that. At the end of the day there is lot more that I can offer. There’s a lot more to me than what is being projected on television. Like Karan Malhotra, director of Agneepath, when he came to meet me, he thought that I would reject him. Later on, when we got close he told me, ‘I thought you will reject me because I don’t wear nice clothes.’ And I was like, ‘What kind of a monster do you think I am? I am like not at all. Yes, you don’t dress very well, but that doesn’t mean anything.’

How did that rumour start?
I think it’s because of Nikhil Advani, when he first came to meet me, he was wearing a cotton kurta. I said, ‘You are making a commercial film, you can’t wear a kurta and come, this vibe has to go. You are making Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and not some parallel cinema, so please wear a shirt. I don’t want my first AD to look like he has jhola company vibe.’

At the AIB roast, that you hosted recently there were many jokes on your orientation. Was that your way of coming out?
I am certainly not answering this question, with a validation. See, there is a lot of conjecture about my sexuality and I have no problems about what people conjecture. I will never speak about my personal life. Whether I am heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or asexual is not something I choose to talk about. Twitter is full of nonsense about my orientation. I get all kinds of hate tweets, love tweets, blasphemous tweets, objectionable, and controversial tweets, and that is what the AIB roast was all about. Obviously, the tweets come from people’s impression and perception of me, I have no problem with that. I can take a joke on myself. I would never insult somebody else, but if somebody chooses to kind of make a joke, I don’t think it is insulting. It’s the kind of level of humour that the show has. Would I do the same to somebody else? Perhaps not, but I can take it in my stride, I have no problem. I never ever blow up about it. There were so many funny things, so I will laugh, of course...

Anyone else in your position would not have allowed it. That you did is pretty cool.
I take my relationships seriously, I don’t take my status seriously and that is something I say with conviction. I take my work very seriously. If somebody is insulting to me about my work, my film, I will be horrified. You can make jokes about it, but if someone seriously attacks my work or my achievements, I will not allow it. Someone attacks my family, I will not allow that. Somebody attacks a relationship of mine that is intense, attacks it viciously and vindictively, I will not stand for it. As for your perception of my orientation or my personality, go ahead and do it. I am a public figure, I am open to this kind of chatter.

What was your reaction when Ranveer Singh planted his lips on yours?
I was shocked because I wasn’t expecting it and I was like, ‘Oh My God and I was like did that just happen in front of 4,000 people!’ Then I realised that Ranveer’s reputation precedes him. So, I said to myself this is another mad thing he has done. I had no problem, but I just wish he had warned me so I probably would not have been as shocked. But to his credit he had mentioned that he was going to kiss me, but I thought he was joking. I thought who is going to go through with it. Later I realised Ranveer Singh is mad enough to go through with it.

That’s true but his madness is real. Not an act.
I think the word for him is unabashed and unapologetic, I’d like to one day meet Ranveer on a calm mode, I wonder how that Ranveer will be.

What was your mom’s reaction, who was sitting in the front row?
Silence. We haven’t discussed it. It’s like the day never happened. It came, it went, it did not conquer.

Do you regret hosting the show in hindsight?
No, I don’t live a life of regret. There is a thought behind everything I do. Impulse is something that comes with my instinct so my instinct is my impulse. I don’t regret a single film I made, or a single relationship — even if it’s broken. Regret is not part of my dictionary. I don’t regret anything because you could go right and wrong. If you go back in time, would I do it differently? I don’t know. But today I don’t regret it. I have been told a lot of things, there is a flip side to that. Many people had advised me don’t do Koffee With Karan..

Aditya Chopra was one..
I don’t want to mention names, but there were a lot of people who said don’t do that or do this. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t, and it’s life and my instinct and I go with it. I am not somebody who is very opinion based. I don’t ask people for theirs.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 1, 2014)

Some people are super special. Whatever they do becomes the talk of the town. The extremely talented Karan Johar clearly falls in this category. There is speculation every time he just produces a film, but in a film that he will be directing, the amount of speculation is at another level. While Karan has not responded to any speculation so far, for the very first time, he shares details of his next directorial venture Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.Excerpts:

How did Ae Dil Hai Mushkil happen?
I had developed a film for over a year-and-a-half that needed another 3-5 months of screenplay work. That film is still going to be made and I will make it immediately after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. That film is tough and a challenging narrative and is about a husband, wife and a daughter and I have already cast the husband. But when I went to New York, this film suddenly came to me. I think it is about getting out of Mumbai.I wrote it in just 30 days. I have never done that before. One day, I was chatting with my friend Apoorva Mehta on the phone, telling him that I am writing this and I am writing that. We had a long hour-and-a-half chat and suddenly after that, he says, 'But Karan, you have the screenplay.' And I said, 'Yes, actually I do.' I had not written a word anywhere. I rushed back to the hotel room and just made some notes, so that I didn't forget it. I had decided that I had to make it. I never write down a thing on paper as it's always in my head. I had two ADs with me there, to research my other husband-wife film. I called them and said, 'Change your plan. I am going to do that later. For now, get your dictaphone out.' And I narrated the film in detail to the both of them and from what they recorded, they put it down as a screenplay. When they say that a film is born within you and it comes right out, it's true. I landed back in India a day before Diwali. And I spoke to all three of them one after the other (Aishwarya, Ranbir and Anushka) and they were all on. All three of them sat on the same spot of my house and I now consider it my lucky corner.

Why Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma?
I had got to know Ranbir and Anushka really well while shooting Bombay Velvet. And I saw their chemistry. Bombay Velvet had tapped into an unusual part of their chemistry. This film will tap into another unusual part of their chemistry.

How come Aishwarya and you have not worked before?
I have always wanted to work with Aishwarya. She and I have missed working with each other on several opportunities. I had first offered her Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and at that time, she was doing Jeans. There was a juncture when I thought Kajol would not do Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham as she had just got married. But I remember Kajol and I had this emotional moment. She did the film and I landed up not calling Aishwarya. Then at one juncture, I wanted to cast her in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and things didn't work. It's been a hit-and-miss scenario with her literally. This time we hit it, literally. And it's a very special role.

Which role did you want to cast Aishwarya for in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?
I had gone to her for Rani's role. There was a series of girls I had gone to. Rani, ironically in that film, was Aditya Chopra's suggestion. And the only girl who had called me back to say that she can't do the film was Aishwarya, barring Tina who had met me and said I can't do it. I offered the role to 7 other heroines, but none of them called me back. My maid came and told me, 'Aishwarya Rai ka phone hai.' I got so excited that somebody had called me back. She said, 'Karan, I was really excited and really liked your script and would have done it, but I am shooting in 7 continents for Jeans, so can't do it.“ I thought it was really gracious of her to have called. I told her I want to thank you. The fact that you are not doing it does not make me as sad as the fact that you have called me has made me happy. And then Adi Chopra called me the next day saying, 'Have you seen the promo of Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and have you seen this girl?' And then I went and signed Rani Mukerji.

Tell us about Ae Dil Hai Mushkil?
Love is the theme and conflict of my next directorial endeavor. When I worked with Ranbir and Anushka in Bombay Velvet, I knew their pairing and undeniable chemistry warranted another film and I am extremely excited to direct them. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil also fulfills my big dream to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. It is possibly her most unusual and contemporary character and I can't wait to work with her. It is too early to talk about the film, but for now, all I want to say is that it is not a conventional love story or love triangle. It's a film that dwells deeply on relationships, heartbreaks and how love completes you, defines you and yet leaves you wanting for more. I have never had, in my entire career, a film that has come to me so fast, so organically and so from within.

The music in Dharma films is always a hit. On top of that, this one will be directed by you. Have you finalised the music director?
This is a very musical film and I have finalised Pritam.

Have you closed on the release date?
June 3, 2016.

Where will the film be shot?
In New York, London, Paris and parts of it in Delhi.

What are your feelings at this point in time?
I am excited as hell like a child in a candy store. I am reaching in the morning, bubbling with energy. Sometimes it doesn't matter if your film has taken three years to write or 30 days, it is actually the excitement for the level of material and I am very excited. 

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; November 19, 2014)

Randeep Hooda, who will be next seen in Karan Johar’s Ungli, had reportedly agreed to allot seven days to the film promotions but has now gone back on his word, suggest sources.

An industry insider says, “The production house had sent him a detailed marketing plan. They had sought a week from Randeep to be part of some city tours and media interactions. Though he had initially agreed to the plan, he has done a U-turn now by allotting just one day to the promotions.” The source suggests that the multi-starrer’s release date was announced after the production house encountered a few roadblocks and delays. Consequently, the actors are barely available to promote the film as they are busy with other projects.

Another source denies Randeep having promised to allot a week for the film’s publicity and that he was busy with horse racing events in Delhi. “He had asked for the marketing plan and realised that he could give only a day to the promotions. But he will try to cover as many activities as possible. Moreover, he is not the person who goes over- thetop with film promotions,” the source reasons.

Randeep’s spokesperson also dismissed the buzz about Randeep keeping away from the promotions. “He is very happy with the way his role in Ungli has shaped up. He has given as much time as possible to promote the film. He had committed to certain things that clash with the promotions. The production house was informed about the same in advance and they did not have a problem,” the spokesperson says.

Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions, says: “These stories about Randeep are completely unfounded and will be put to rest once all interviews and promotion activities are broadcast across all media. In the coming days, you will see the star cast promoting the film extensively.”

In the meanwhile…
Emraan Hashmi, who has allotted limited dates to promote Ungli, is said to have backed out of an event at the last minute. A source says, “The makers of the film had organised an event on Monday evening with auto drivers. However, the actor pulled out of it saying that he was unwell. But he was shooting for Hamari Adhuri Kahani till afternoon.”

A source close to the actor says Emraan was genuinely sick as he has been continuously shooting in South Africa and India without any rest. “Work has taken a toll on him and he is down with fever. But, he completed his shoot in the morning and was preparing for the promotions when he started feeling giddy. So, he had to cancel the event,” the source adds. However, the next day, Emraan turned up for a media interaction.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; November 12, 2014)

The makers of Ungli recently shot for a promotional song with Emraan Hashmi and a bevy of international models.

Now we hear the number has some sexually suggestive scenes with the female models seducing each other. A source says, “The song called Ungli Pe Nachalein has the models dancing with Emraan and cosying up to one another. Some of the steps are quite bold. The models are even shown to be sharing a kiss for a couple of seconds. So far, no one has gone so bold in their promotional songs.” The source adds that the film is centered on a group of rebellious youngsters goes against the system to support some social causes. “It has nothing to do with the LGBT community. But the storyline was such that we decided to include the song,” the source explains.

It is said that the scenes may not be highlighted in the song, at least for the television promos. Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions, says, “In keeping with the film’s fun element, we decided to tap into Emraan’s sensual side. He is the only actor how could have pulled this off tastefully.”

In the meanwhile…

Rumour mills suggest that Randeep Hooda, Kangana Ranaut, Neil Bhoopalam and Angad Bedi are also part of Ungli but not all of them are promoting it.

A source says, “When the film’s release date was announced, most of them had moved on to other projects.
The decision to release the film this month was also conveyed to them late and they could not make time for the promotional activities.”

So far, only Emraan Hashmi and Shraddha Kapoor, who has done an item number, have been part of the marketing plan. “Kangana and Randeep were not informed about the promotions. Kangana is currently working on two projects. Moreover, her role in the film is short,” the source adds.

The film’s spokesperson says, “Everyone is cooperative and some have gone out of their way to adjust their respective schedules for promoting Ungli.”

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; May 23, 2014)