Born to producer Yash Johar and Hiroo Johar on May 25, 1972 in Mumbai, Karan Johar is one of the most influential and richest filmmakers in India today. From his debut film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998 to his most recent release Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, all the films directed by Karan have been successful at the box office. The director has carried forward the legacy of Dharma Productions, which his father founded in 1979, and has made it into one of the biggest production houses in the country.
But, even after being a star kid, it hasn't been an easy journey for Karan Johar as he has recounted in his several interviews that he was bullied in his childhood. On Nikhil Taneja's podcast Be A Man Yaar! last year, Karan shared how being called 'pansy' in his childhood affected his mental health. "Today what you call gay, fag, or homo, said in a derogatory tone, it was called pansy in those days. And, it was a word that literally, had really pushed me into a shell."
In his most recent interview with the journalist Faye D'Souza, Karan also recalled how his father had to sell his property and his mother had to sell her jewellery when initial films of Dharma Productions failed at the box office. Karan said, "Right after Dostana (Dharma's first film that became a massive hit), Papa saw a series of about five failures. During those days, we used to get movies financed. Financers would give us money and we would pay them back with interest. When one of the films failed, my mum (Hiroo Johar) sold my nani’s flat, and when another faced the same fate, she sold some of her jewellery. My father had to sell a little property he had in Delhi."
After their first film Dostana in 1980, Dharma Productions' next hit came in the year 1998 with Karan's directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Recalling the same, Karan added, "Fortunately, though coincidentally, my first, second, and third films did really well. My father passed away after that. Then I took over Dharma. A lot of the money that we have made at Dharma has been made since I started directing. I feel very proud that I could live my father’s dream."
Thanks to Dharma Productions and his show Koffee With Karan, Karan Johar has a massive net worth of over Rs 1800 crore. The director announced his eighth directorial on his birthday this year. KJo, as he is often called in the industry, will soon announce the title, cast, and cew details of his next film.
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