My biggest hope is to find love: Karan Johar

Bollywood's most celebrated producer-director Karan Johar turned 40 recently and his birthday bash was one of the most talked about celebrations in recent times. The successful, rich, famous, trendy and powerful Johar is perhaps the literal embodiment of the title 'beautiful people'.

Below is the edited transcript of his interview to CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying videos. Q: One of the most direct and nicest men that I know in the Hindi film industry is filmmaker Karan Johar. Wish you a Happy Birthday. Johar: Thank you. Q: You heard all those adjectives, young was missing. Johar: Yes, unfortunately. That’s when I have marked my 40th celebration I think that’s the one thing that I had to let go off. Q: You have been priming yourself for it for a bit. You have been getting ready for this milestone, isn’t it? Johar: I am not the one really to believe these myths that surround turning 40; that 40s are the new 30s and 40s is where really life really begins– those are all excuses 40 year olds make. I just have to say that this is the beginning where the teeth do start to minor rattle, the knees start to minor shake and the back starts giving away and there is a loss of sleep and all of that comes with the territory. So I have to say that this is the advent of all those things. Q: We will do what you are so good at putting other people through and that’s the rapid fire round. We are doing it your way on the show. Johar: Oh God, I can’t even say it’s my way or the highway as it is my way. Q: What was the best gift this birthday? Johar: The team at Dharma helm by a member of my family Nilofer, who actually also does the PR for us, Garima who handles my life and Punit who has been a director of the company, made me an AV of all the people who I love in my life and all my relationships and equations. It was a 30min AV just talking about me and who doesn’t like that. So, that to me, meant a lot. Q: Who was the best dressed person at your party given that there is so much talk about who was there and what they were wearing? Johar: I think Gauri Khan. Q: Who was the worst dressed person? Johar: Next question. How would I do this? How can I call them, give a theme like black tie and then bitch about what they wore, so no. Q: Because you are Karan Johar, you can do it. If anybody can do it, you can do it. Johar: No. I think anyone who didn’t stick to the theme and they know who they are, were possibly the worst dressed. Q: What was the most stressful moment where this big celebration was concerned? Johar: Every moment was stressful. The people not receiving invites or the ones I forgot and then be reminded on the day, that was stressful. Q: Not the scrutiny that everybody is into – I have never seen a birthday party get the kind of attention yours did. Johar: Yes, it was great. Q: Was the scrutiny the more stressful? Johar: It was my own Cannes happening all the way in Bandra, Mumbai. It was my own Cannes film festival. I always wanted that way so I am happy. I was told that the fashion industry was in a tizzy and I enjoyed every bit of hearing that. Q: What has been your biggest achievement in 40 years? Johar: Completing 15 years with my head still on my head. Q: In the film industry as a filmmaker? Johar: This party marked my 15 years in the film industry much more than my 40 years in this world. I think the 15 years with still with my head screwed on tight and my sanity level still up there. I think that speaks a lot because considering what all happens around me and how people lose the plot so soon, I think I managed pretty well. Q: What has been your biggest insecurity? Johar: Losing what I have. Q: Professionally? Johar: Only. Q: The final question in the rapid fire round. Since you painted from the 40s to be such a miserable place, what is your biggest hope? Johar: To find love. Q: Okay, there is no coffee hamper here clearly because it’s not your show. Though we did the rapid fire, the only thing I can tell you is that you have a standing invitation to be on beautiful people, that’s your gift. Johar: Thank you. This is my hat trick appearance? Q: Yes. Johar: It is, so I made it thrice so either I am really interesting or you are just not finding enough guests, one of the two.
I am not going to answer that. Johar: That’s my rapid fire, come on shoot which one? Q: Pass. No, you know you are a favorite. I am telling you have standing invitation.
I have been hearing a couple of things that you have been saying like I am alluded to the fact that in the past few conversations that we have had you are grappling with this milestone 40th. It is a milestone really where has your life brought you think when you take stock, when you saw that 30 min AV that you said your colleagues put together for you. What do you make of your life so far? Johar: Unfortunately, we are also cynical about saying wonderful and emotional things that when I say them, I almost start feeling that it is going to come across like I am putting it on, faking it, being extra mushy. But I felt so much of gratitude and so much loved. I felt that I have left a legacy or I am leaving a legacy of love behind.
I think I have inherited a great kind of good will from my father and all that translated into these wonderful equations that surround me today. You can perceive that as being a fence sitter because I don’t get into people’s problems or perceive me as somebody who cares for everyone. Genuinely, people I love and whose lives I have touched, I want to continue doing just that.
So that’s what I feel I have left behind more than my professional achievement. I think it’s my personal achievements, which comes in the form of relationships is what I am most proud of. More than just being the host, I think I just felt that all these relationships have fructified into tremendous love for me. Q: And that’s the best part of a life of 40 years. Johar: Because I have given the hits, I have given the flops. I have had the ups, I have had the downs. I have met with success, I have seen failure – all that is part of the job profile. But how many of us can proudly say that we made equations in an otherwise messed up industry?