BOMBAY TIMES (May 26, 2020)

On Monday evening, Karan Johar put up a post on social media revealing that two members of his household staff had tested positive for COVID-19. In his post, the filmmaker, who celebrated his 48th birthday yesterday, explained, “As soon as the symptoms were detected, they were put under quarantine in a section of our building. The BMC was informed immediately, and the building has been fumigated and sterilised by them as per the norms.”

The filmmaker also added that the rest of them in the family and staff are all safe and display no symptoms. “We have all taken the swab test this morning and have tested negative, but will remain in self isolation for the next 14 days for the safety of everyone around us,” he wrote. Karan is at his suburban home with his mother Hiroo and twins Yash and Roohi.

Meena Iyer (DNA; May 25, 2019)

It’s Karan Johar’s 47th birthday today. As reported by After Hrs earlier this week, the blockbuster filmmaker-cum-talk show host has flown to New York to celebrate his big day.

Before he took off, we got our fix of KJo’s magic and mantras. Charismatic as always, he addressed everything from midlife crisis to his anxieties with a candour that is rare and so welcome.

Over to Karan:

First things first, what are your thoughts on turning 47?
There was a point of time when I was very excited about turning 40. I thought it would be a new innings in my life, which in any case it was. So many exciting things have happened to me in my 40s. Like my company (Dharma Productions) has grown, my kids —  Roohi and Yash — came. It has been a new life with my babies; they have changed my 40s around. I thought there would be the advent of a love story. I put the message out into the Universe and it came true through my children. The love that I was seeking in terms of a relationship, which I never had, and the loneliness that I felt is gone. The decision to have my children has changed my 40s around and it has changed my mother’s 70s around. It has transformed the fulcrum of our existence. At 47, I have two emotions. One of excitement that I am heading towards the mid-point of my life. There is so much I have to achieve before I turn 50. And the second is anxiety. Sometimes, I feel I have lesser and lesser time with my babies with whom I have the best love story going on.

But do you have any thoughts about ageing too? 
There are some thoughts. When I started dressing in a certain way two years ago, I suddenly realised that what I was actually going through was a midlife crisis. I realised I was growing older, so suddenly a lot of colour came into my wardrobe. All the hipster clothes, which maybe I am too old for, came. I don’t care what others think. I am happy with the colours and designs. There are many thoughts in my head — fear, anxiety, excitement and acceptance of my midlife crisis.

However, no outward signs of your midlife crisis are showing?
Well, I just felt I should do everything that I have wanted to do. At a certain point in my life, I may not be able to pull some of this off. If I feel like pouting to my camera, I do just that. There is a lot of abandon. With wisdom comes abandon and there is a certain carefree spirit in my demeanour. I have accepted how I am and I’m not apologetic about it.


Karan Johar with his wax replica at Madame Tussauds in Singapore

Karan, the seven years since your 40th have seen many highs for you — your book (An Unsuitable Boy), your statue at Madame Tussauds, etc.
I feel fortunate that I have been given a platform to achieve my dreams (making the films I want) and also fulfill some of my hobbies. I have done everything that I love. I love fashion, so I have dabbled in it. I like the idea of being a talk show host and I have that going on for the last 14 years. I love walking on red carpets across the world and I have done that. I have always wanted to tell my story and I did that in my book. I was excited to be at Madame Tussauds because I said, ‘Heck, why not a filmmaker? Why do only actors have to have all the glory?’ I’m happy I’m there. Everything I have always wanted to do cinematically and in my hobbies, I have been able to do in my 40s. I feel blessed. It has opened my plethora of dreams and I feel happy that I achieved most. Now, I feel I have to create new dreams and set new benchmarks. I am hugely excited about what can come beyond this year, beyond 47.

Is there a part two to An Unsuitable Boy?
Yes, there is. I have spoken to Poonam Saxena (my co-author), Shobhaa De and my publisher at Penguin who were with me on my first book. I will definitely do another one. But not immediately. There is so much more to talk about, but I will wait a few years. As I expressed earlier, there’s a lot to address like my fears and anxieties. My babies, who have brought a new aura and energy into my life, will feature in part two of An Unsuitable Boy.

You have a new office closer to your home?
Yes, I do because that way I can spend more time with the babies. Besides this office in Andheri, I also have one in Bandra for my digital work. I have made some structural changes around my professional routine so that I can give my kids the maximum time. I am also blessed to have a mother who is completely hands on. She is there for me and my babies 24/7. This makes me feel peaceful and happy. Instead of making Roohi and Yash work around my schedule, I have been a good parent and worked my schedule around them. That way I can maximise my time around them.


His kids — Roohi and Yash (left) and his style is always on point

Is Roohi more possessive about you?
No. I am only trying to get her attention. I have to chase her to give me a hug and a kiss. On the other hand, each time my son spots me, he flashes a big smile and welcomes me with open arms. Only a parent can understand what that feels like. He gives me all the hugs and kisses I crave for. When I walk into the room, Yash runs into my arms. What happens in my heart at that time is something I cannot describe in words. Barring your own children, who else meets you with so much excitement? I’m always running behind Roohi, who is totally her grandmom’s girl. She calls my mother, ‘Mamma’. My son is interested in me and Roohi is interested in my mother. So, we have our balance right.

Finally, what’s with the grey showing at the temples? Is it deliberate?
No! It’s my hair colour that has let me down (laughs).


Karan with his mother Hiroo Johar and his twins, Yash and Roohi

Now 46, filmmaker Karan Johar on his journey from ‘ loving your parents’ to orgasming in front of them
Gitanjali Chandrasekharan (MID-DAY; July 1, 2018)

There's a scene in the 2001 French comedy Amélie when the movie’s protagonist asks herself, “How many couples are having an orgasm right now?” The answer she arrives at seems to be 15. Looking out of a Mumbai apartment, shuttered in by its grills with the rains beating down and competing in volume against the traffic, if one asks oneself this question, what answer will one get?

With an estimated population of 22.5 million in Mumbai, and using the generic adult percentage of India (55) , and other surveys of “have you ever orgasmed” — various surveys through India say 70 per cent of women respondents had never orgasmed and in another report 55 per cent of male respondents admitted to faking an orgasm — the real statistic evades us.

But, there’s at least one orgasm that we all know has been had. And we’ve all witnessed it at various times as we logged on to Netflix and reached the climax (well, nearly) scene of Karan Johar’s segment of Lust Stories, the second edition of the anthology by the makers of Bombay Talkies, which released last month.

The scene has Megha (Kiara Advani), a sexually dissatisfied young wife — if you can’t even count to 11 does it count at all? — using a stolen dildo and getting caught out in front of her husband’s family.

Speaking over the phone — we are told this is the only time he will be able to spare, as he gets on with his day’s commute — Johar says, “I was, in fact, the last to shoot among the four of us. I hadn’t found an idea that excited me enough. My segment of Bombay Talkies was a heavy topic, I wanted to take a similar path but say it with humour.” Men, his female friends when confiding in him have told him, are clueless in bed, much as Vicky Kaushal’s character in the film. And pleasure is deeply entrenched in patriarchy. “I wanted to portray that pleasure is a two-way street and women have the right to it, too. I wanted to root this story in a traditional, middle-class home,” he says.

The story, he says, was then drafted by Sumit Saxena, who was co-screenplay writer on Pyaar Ka Punchnama. The ideation on the anthology, says Johar, began over the portrayal of lust and love, ending however at the former. But, lust itself is a tough topic to portray in Indian cinema. “Lust remains a negative emotion, we are not allowed to feed it,” he says. Love is still needed to legitimise carnal desires and that often messes up a sexual dynamic. “Of course, when love and lust collide, that’s a bonafide relationship.”

Sexual desire on Indian celluloid, he agrees, remains skewed towards the freakish. He points to the lip-biting sequences of the 1980s and hip- thrusts of the 90s. “It’s not been portrayed as a normal phenomenon when you stare at a person in the office or someone you see at the coffee shop and look away, the subtlety and nuance isn’t there.” The closest that he has seen lust being portrayed as it should be has been in erotic films or in the 1990 Spanish film, Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down by Pedro Almodóvar. “The way the man looks at the woman in that film, there’s something very sexy about it. Not too many can achieve that.” That movie is about a man who has been released from a mental asylum and then, in a bid to make his fantasy come true, kidnaps a porn star he is in love with and envisions as his wife and mother of his children.

For those who see it, it’s a been a long journey for Johar from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham to Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. “I was 24 when I made Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. What did I know about love then?” says the now 46-year-old parent-of-two. In his later films, he has moved from talking about parental love, to one-sided love to infidelity, then unrequited love and then cynicism. It seems to mirror his own journey and emotions. “Today, there are no Laila-Majnus. There are practical questions I will ask [to a lover]. ‘Where do you live?’, ‘what do you do?’ In young love, people are ready to die for each other and fight society, but I don’t want to die for you.”

But, his next film, Dhadak, a remake of Marathi blockbuster Sairat, is just that, we point out. He laughs, “Well, they are young. If we meet the same couple 20 years later, I am not sure if they’d be ready for the same. I am 46. I am far too cynical, far too practical.”

We come back to lust. When did that journey begin? At the age of 12, he says. We wonder if he was aware of himself that early, or were we too late. The processing of what that emotion was, he says, came later. “There was no emotional connect with that person, there was only a carnal desire and I realised, oh my god, this is was lust is. But, lust is not taught to us, we don’t know how to feel it. We can feel love, the idea of getting married and having children. But, where is [the reference point to] lust? It’s part of something we need.”

Johar became father to a pair of twins last year in March. A single father, to Yash and Roohi, does he miss having a partner? No. “There’s no place for anyone else.” His family unit where he raises his kids with his mother Hiroo Johar is quite tight and settled. “My third baby is my production house and I have a fourth one at home, my mom, who is over 75. I am quite satiated with life. This works for me.”

Happy to be a single parent, he says his life has always been unconventional in either the personal or the professional. “I have never fallen for the trap of log kya kahenge, whether it is when taking on the role of a talk show host, wearing a flamboyant jacket or judging dance reality shows.”

His choices. Yes, we come back to that. The choice of filming the orgasm as his most iconic “loving your parents” song — the K3G soundtrack sung by Lata Mangeshkar — plays in the background was a master move. It reeked of Johar laughing at himself. “We thought it was an intellectual juxtaposition of what was happening in one part of the house to the other part of the house. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was the perfect family film. And Advani’s character was having an orgasm in front of the family. When this idea came [to use the song as a background], I laughed out loud. We knew it would create a storm in the coffee cup,” he says. Nope, even in idioms, Johar would rather have coffee.

The whacky moment is said to have brought discomfort to the Mangeshkar family [Lata Mangeshkar sang the iconic number], but Johar says, “They have not said it directly to me. There’s no byline to that article, there’s not a single confirmed quote on who from the Mangeshkar family is saying this. I have a feeling I know who has written it. It’s obviously a creative mind. But, it’s only helped Netflix, so great.”

Meena Iyer (DNA; May 25, 2018)

Aesthete, style maven and someone with an original point of view in Bollywood — Karan Johar has always refined and redefined his cinematic craft over the years. Is there anything this man can’t do? It’s hard to match his dance steps at a wedding and his curated closet is a cornucopia of incomparable style and varied influences. However, reflecting on the past and resting on laurels isn’t his trait. He’s far from that. Perhaps that self-effacing charm and his ability to constantly reinvent and go charging ahead relentlessly makes him the most inspiring success phenomenon Indian cinema has ever seen. It’s incredible how he wears an array of hats — single parent, filmmaker, television host and judge, actor and model effortlessly — and yet make it seem so easy.

His tight-as-a-Léger schedule and hectic pace of life have only gone to prove that he enjoys what he does. So when he tells you that he has actually gifted himself a five-day birthday vacay in the Big Apple, you just want him to have a terrific time and wait for his Insta updates. New York’s landscape, energy and people have long been part of his cinematic mood board so it’s natural that he picked the city for some much-needed R&R.

Of course, before he boards the flight out, you put your phone on flight mode and quickly record what he has to say.  Excerpts…

Five days in New York...Is that your birthday plan?
Yes, it is. I have worked non-stop for the last year (including Sundays) and I am happy that my office has actually granted me a short break (smiles). My gift to myself on my 46th birthday today is this long-haul flight to NY. When I’m there, I’m going to indulge in my three favourite ‘R’s — rest, relaxation and retail. I just want some me time and what better way than to do what I’m doing.

Congratulations on Raazi. Are you counting the profits yet?
No, no. Apoorva Mehta (my friend and CEO at Dharma Productions) will do that in due course. Right now, all of us are just celebrating the film. We’re extremely grateful to Meghna Gulzar for giving us this wonderfully empowering movie that is still winning hearts. Raazi is an important production for us and we are truly happy with the way it is going.

From Raazi you move to Dhadak, another film that looks exciting because it will launch two new stars?
Well, Dhadak is important on two counts. It is the Hindi remake of Nagraj Manjule’s celebrated super hit Sairat (Marathi). And I hope our director Shashank Khaitan gives us a film that lives up to the standards set by the original. Dhadak is also important because we have in it two new actors — Janhvi and Ishaan, both of who are fine actors. Our responsibility on this film doesn’t just end with the release. Post the movie, we will continue to stay invested in Janhvi and Ishaan because at Dharma, when we introduce new talent, it is a long-standing commitment. We don’t just invest in their careers; we also invest in them emotionally and we are committed to hand-hold them for as long as they wish.

Are you proud of Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra’s achievements in the last six years since Student Of The Year (SOTY)?
I can’t even start to tell you how proud my three students have made me. My real journey as a parent began on October 19, 2012, when I launched them. If you see my phone, you will see that I talk to each of them at least once a day till date. I am so happy with the way their careers have shaped up and with the kind of people they have become.

When I did SOTY, I knew it was not a film that would move mountains. It was meant to be a fun film and I genuinely didn’t think it would become the ‘entity’ it did. At that stage, I didn’t foresee that my three students will go out there and achieve what they have. Now, I can tell you that I feel blessed to be able to parent Alia, Sidharth and Varun.

Speaking of parenting, how are your twins — Roohi and Yash — doing?
I am eternally grateful and thankful to my mother (Hiroo Johar). Her maternal instincts as a mother and grandmother ensure she gives them and me the best care and affection. Between mum and me, we are perfectly coordinated to co-parent Roohi and Yash. When I take breaks like the current one, my mother looks after the kids. And when I’m back, I’ll coax her to take a short break. So, we have it all worked out. The twins are just a year and three months old, so till such time as they are old enough to travel frequently, mum and I are happy to take turns to ensure that one of us is always staying home with them.

Is there a special birthday wish?
I am living my wish by taking this long-haul flight and short vacation where I can give myself some me time. I hope to come back refreshed and rejuvenated. I’m excited about the break and I am also excited that I have finalised the script for my next directorial venture that should roll next year. I’ll cast for my new film after returning from New York.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 4, 2018)

Karan Johar’s twins ­— Yash and Roohi — will ring in their first birthday on February 7. However, the filmmaker, who is known to throw some of the most star-studded bashes in B-Town, has decided to keep things intimate.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that the party will be devoid of B-Towners. This time around it will be star kids who will celebrate the day with Yash and Roohi.

The director-producer, who is a doting dad, admits that his priorities have changed completely, post the new additions to his life. Though he has kept the celebrations on a smaller scale, there’s no doubt that he is mighty excited about the big day. Talking about his plans for the private do, he reveals, “It’s a small birthday party at home, with just kids their age. I want to keep it simple and intimate this year.”

Earlier this year, Karan along with Yash and Roohi had attended Adira Chopra’s second birthday party. A source tells us, “Karan has already spoken to his friends and invited them and their tiny tots to the party at his home. So there will be Taimur Ali Khan, Adira, Misha Kapoor, Laksshya Kapoor and some other B-Town kids.”

Though Karan loves spending time with his twins, he is yet to take them to his office. He says, “They’re too small and travelling might get uncomfortable for them. But they will come with me to the office, eventually.” And the babies have their own nursery at Karan’s workspace. “I made it so that even when I’m working they feel at home and are comfortable. It’s also a way of keeping them close to me,” he says.

As Shah Rukh Khan's inspirational show TED Talks India: Nayi Soch enters its third week, the superstar will have his close friend, Karan Johar, for company. KJo dedicates an emotional letter to his twins, Yash and Roohi
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; December 19, 2017)

As Shah Rukh Khan's inspirational show TED Talks India: Nayi Soch enters its third week, the superstar will have his close friend, Karan Johar, for company. Turns out, the episode will see the six speakers, including the filmmaker, talk about the emotional journey of their life. Naturally then, Johar decided to dedicate his segment to his emotional anchor - his two kids, Yash and Roohi. Not just that, taking a cue from his film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), he penned a letter for his twins - the contents of which he read out during the episode.

A source from the unit revealed, "Since the subject of the episode was 'Changing Relationships', Karan focused his speech on his kids. In his letter to the twins, he wrote how his father, Yash Johar, had given him the freedom to choose what he wanted to be. Karan wrote that he too hopes to be as supportive to his children."

Johar also took the opportunity to address the problems that his kids might face as the offsprings of a single parent. "As you grow up, people will try to label you according to colour, looks, religion, popularity, and money. People will gossip about you, but know that no one can label you. Just because you are different, it doesn't make you wrong.

You may be treated differently in school; mothers of your classmates will come to drop them, but you will have your father to take care of that. While most of your classmates' mothers will make a WhatsApp group to discuss your homework, I will be the only father in it," said an emotional Johar as he read out the letter. Other speakers on the episode include percussionist Sivamani, social activist Jasmeen Patheja, photographer Samar Jodha, and 17-year-old Trisha Prabhu, who will talk about tackling cyberbullying.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 11, 2017)

The rooftop lawn of an Andheri studio was converted into a toy-themed wonderland for Rani Mukerji and Aditya Chopra’s daughter Adira’s second birthday on Saturday evening. Shilpa Shetty described it as “The premiere of a magnum opus,” congratulating host Rani for pulling off the kiddie party of the year that came with one clear instruction — there would be no pictures of the birthday girl.

Karan Johar’s twins Yash and Roohi bonded with Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan’s son Taimur, while Shah Rukh Khan obliged Neil Nitin Mukesh’s wife Rukmini, Raveena Tandon and Vaani Kapoor with selfies and binged on “whatever AbRam was eating”.

When asked what job he’d take up if he had all the money in the world, SRK beamed, “Babysitter”. Katrina Kaif and her upcoming actress-sister Isabel held hands and hopped into wonderland, excited to be at the bash and once inside, hung out with KJo and Alia Bhatt. And Bhumi Pednekar stole Rekha away from her time with the tots for a picture and some fan-girling.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 7, 2017)

Rohit Shetty and Karan Johar will record a rap song for their upcoming talent hunt reality show, India’s Next Superstars this week. The video will be shot later.

A source associated with the show reveals that the song, “Manzil Badi Hai”, is about how it isn’t easy to become a superstar in Bollywood. The idea is to convey that only hard work can get the contestants to the top. The winners will be launched by the filmmakers.

A set resembling an amusement park is being built for the shoot. While Karan will be suit up as usual, Rohit will be more casually dressed. His brother-in-law, fashion designer Navin Shetty, has been roped in to work on his look.

Meanwhile, Mirror has learnt that Karan’s twins, Yash and Roohi, are all set to make their first public appearance at Rani Mukerji’s daughter Adira’s second birthday on December 9 at the Chopra home. The doting daddy has been planning their outfits carefully as he wants their first outing to be eye-catching.

A huge bash is being arranged with lots of kiddie treats in store. Shah Rukh Khan’s son Abram and Aamir Khan’s son Azad are also expected to attend.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 28, 2017)

Given his recent shenanigans, employees at Dharma Productions could only hope their boss Karan Johar had become a father sooner. In a bid to spend more time with his twins, Roohi and Yash, Johar has opened a crèche at his swanky Andheri office, where his employees can leave their children too. “Anybody [employees] who has a kid is welcome to bring him/her here,” Johar tells mid-day.

Insiders suggest, the new daddy has become sensitive towards parents and wishes to improve the working conditions for them. “Yash and Roohi are already eight months old. I don’t get enough time to see them during the day. So, I have a spacious room for them here [in my office]. They will feel like they’re coming to a special place.”

The crèche has been created in a sizable room and can host 15 babies at a time. “Both, mothers and fathers can bring their babies to the crèche while they work. There is a child care expert present at all times. There are different toys available,” a source says.

Given that the crèche has only recently been created, it isn’t equipped to house children above the age of three, the source adds. “The company is looking out for nannies who can take care of the older kids.”

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.”

Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; September 5, 2017)

Karan Johar has finally introduced his children — Yash and Roohi — to the world via social media. The first-time dad is excited and overwhelmed about this new role that he is playing in real life. Here, he talks about being ready to take on the responsibility of raising two kids and drawing inspiration from his father — the late Yash Johar.

People expect new parents to change overnight after they have kids, what has your experience been like?
From overwhelming to daunting, and in reverse order as well. I am blessed, I am overwhelmed, I am afraid, I do not get paranoid, but I am really afraid because I feel for the first time I have been given a responsibility that is beyond my ability and I have to create that ability. To be able to be an amazing parent, is something that you also learn on the job. So, you have to make your mistakes, learn from them, correct them and move on. Everyone has a piece of advice to give you but your relationship with your children and your nurturing process for them is yours and yours alone.

Have you become the dad, who is showing pictures to everyone?
Yes, but I am so conscious because I laughed at those people who did that, so I do it less. Sometimes you cannot help it. The moment somebody asks you, your instinct is to go to your phone because you are so proud of your children. I remember how my father was about me. I was embarrassed about the manner in which he used to praise me in front of other people. I used to go pink in the face. Once we were in London and somebody introduced me to a British gentleman as a filmmaker and my father piped in and said, ‘He is the best filmmaker in India.’ I said ‘Papa, you cannot say that.’ And he said ‘Kyun? Main manta hu, main kahunga.’ So I realise what that pride of a parent is like and I think that I will be going through an emotional meltdown in all their milestones where they first speak, walk and achieve and every first of theirs.

Please continue...
Two things I have to tell you about parenting. One of it is exactly what it was designed to be, the most beautiful thing in the world. It may sound like a Hallmark card but it is true. The other is fear, apprehension, and anxiety and that actually makes me sleep a little less. I dream about them in my subconscious mind — will they be good students, will they be clever, will they be bright? I hope they don’t have any bad habits. I know things are going to be fine and yet I have those feelings. I have to achieve a certain state of calm for me to realise that being a parent is not just a responsibility, but also an attitude and I have to have the right attitude.

Do you want to be a dad like your dad?
I wish I can, because he was amazing. I believe that the best father is a grandfather. So that is what my father was to me. He was a father who was also a grandfather. He was much older when he had me and that is what I will be. Because a grandparent has been through the process of being a father and reached a stage of maturity as a parent and he exercises that maturity in his nurturing.

Farah said that you were initially hesitant about surrogacy. What convinced you?
I was hesitant. But it wasn’t surrogacy that I was hesitant about; it was about me being a parent. I felt I wasn’t emotionally ready till I was. When I celebrated my 40th, I was like I really feel now is the time I should... I still wasn’t emotionally there. But there was one year... there was a phase when I was about 42 when I realised that now is the zone I feel I can be a parent. And I have the ability to nurture lives completely; I can take on this responsibility and I started all the work that I had to do.

You see yourself being a helicopter father or you are going to be more relaxed?
I think I will be more relaxed. I am not a paranoid person by nature. In crisis, I become more calm. It is about tiny things that bother me. In larger situations, I am the calmest in crisis. I am not hyper. I feel there is nothing that conversation and communication cannot sort out. Some people just thrive under pressure. My father did and I think I have got that from him. I can tell my mother is a lot more hyper than I am as a person. I draw from my father’s stillness and calmness.

Are you thinking about schools?
Oh, yes, totally. I reach first day of school with them in my head. I remember there was one time when all your friends would tease you that you wear this black jacket and go every evening. That has changed. Is it because of the kids or has it changed before that? You are more at home now, you call friends over rather than going out every day.

I actually don’t like going out anymore; I think something has happened. There is a certain switch that has been put on and that was lying dormant for a while. I am a lot more at home now. I don’t feel the need to rush out. Finally, at age 45, I feel more responsible I suppose. I feel like you know before that, there was no accountability. There was mom and me. I was like I wanted to get out of my house and go. Go to places and people. Now it is like people come home and the vibe also is like that. The new house we have moved into three years ago just felt like home to me. The residence before that never connected to me emotionally, I was there for 16 years. For some reason, my first home in Malabar Hill and this one...

Do you still have that?
No. That was ghar for me and this one feels like ghar to me. The inherent phase and also because I lost my father in that house, I have a little bit of anger with it.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 3, 2017)

"I am dying to meet Roohi and Yash,” filmmaker Gurinder Chadha says, alluding to Karan Johar’s newborns. The British- Indian director, who is currently in the city to kickstart promotions of her forthcoming film, Partition: 1947, is mother to 10-year-old twins, daughter Kumiko and son Ronak, and says she can give the new father a lesson or two on handling them. “I sent Karan some tips to manage the twins and he told me, ‘keep then coming.’ It was really sweet. I also remember sending him a congratulatory message. I’ll call him and check if he is free while I am here,” she says.

For the BAFTA-winning filmmaker, India has always been a muse. “Indian culture is very inspiring. I really loved Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). It was a little cheesy, but it got me. I was also amazed with the production of Bajirao Mastani (2015). Of late, Indian producers have been creating great movies, like Piku (2015), Dangal (2016) and Vicky Donor (2012),” she says, quick to add that she intends to make a film in the country soon. “I have been talking to a writer. His story revolves around female foeticide, and is based in Punjab. The subject caught my attention, but I am planning to make it in my way. So, it will be a commercial film.”

If she were to get a chance, Chadha would love to collaborate for a third outing with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, with whom she worked in Bride And Prejudice (2004) and The Mistress Of Spices (2006). “She looked gorgeous in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016). I have always enjoyed working with her."

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 30, 2017)

BOMBAY TIMES (March 28, 2017)

Sonil Dedhia and Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 6, 2017)

It must have been incredibly hard for Bollywood's most public figure to keep his life's biggest news under wraps. Just seven days into the birth of his twins, Roohi and Yash, Karan Johar had hosted a singles-only bash at his house on Valentine's Day. As the news broke yesterday, many of the filmmaker's pals, who had attended that party, were thrown off-guard.

An actor, who prefers to remain anonymous, says, "I knew he wanted to have children some day, but I had no idea he was bringing his babies home this soon. Now that I think of it, Karan was not his usual self. He kept excusing himself frequently. But for those who had no idea, they couldn't have guessed."

Even those at Karan's banner, Dharma Productions, were taken by surprise. A source at the production house says, "I don't think anyone in office was aware about it either. Even last month, Karan followed his usual schedule and would come to work every other day."

A unit member of his last film, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, says Karan had briefly mentioned about his desire to have children: "Over the last few years, he was getting increasingly lonely. He even brought home a pup, Nobu, last year. Though constantly surrounded by friends, who are no less than family, he craved kids of his own. I found out about the surrogacy last December. When I asked Karan, all he said was that I must keep it a secret. We all adore him and respect his wishes."

Friends Gauri Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Manish Malhotra were, perhaps, the only ones clued in to the development, says a source at Dharma, adding, "Nothing about his schedule changed in February. He continued to work at the same pace, overseeing promotions of Badrinath Ki Dulhania, curating his chat show and other work commitments."

In his recently-released memoir, The Unsuitable Boy, Karan wrote, "I don't know what I am going to do about it, but I feel like I would like to be a parent. I don't know how it's going to happen, but I do feel the need because I have plenty of love to offer and I'd like to take it forward (sic)."

Johar spent the last week in London, the first few days with BFF Manish Malhotra, and then at an event at the London School of Economics on Saturday. He returned to Mumbai yesterday. "I can imagine him as a paranoid parent, spoiling his kids; I can't see him as a disciplinarian. But it's early to say what kind of a parent he will be. Let's just say, he will make a wonderful father," another close friend says.

'Work would have to take a backseat'
An excerpt of Karan Johar's statement read, "I am ecstatic to share with you all the two most wonderful additions to my life, my children and lifelines; Roohi and Yash. In order to arrive at this decision, I have prepared myself mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically to ensure that my children get all the unconditional love, care and attention from me and mine. My work, travels and social commitments would have to take a back seat. I have the most caring and supportive mother who will be an integral part in the up-bringing of her grandchildren and of course, friends who are family. I am eternally grateful to the surrogate who has fulfilled my lifelong dream and provided a loving and nurturing environment to my children before bringing them into this world. She will always remain in my prayers."