Karan Johar: Agneepath Was An Unfulfilled Dream

After re-making Agneepath, can we say that you fulfilled your father Yash Johar’s dream?
Yes, I believe it was an unfulfilled dream of everyone at Dharma Productions which Karan Malhotra rewarded to me.

What do you strive for while making a film?
Everything! I want the money, the success, fame, acclaim. I won’t make a film with the thought that it will appeal to critics or I will make this film highly commercial. A film is made by belief and conviction, and every film has its own requirement. I can’t put an item song in a film like Wake Up Sid. But if I am making Agneepath, I can put the Chikni Chameli kind of song in it because its texture allows that.

Earlier Dharma Productions used to make one film a year but now you make three to four films in one year. How do you manage all this pressure?
Trust and delegation are the two factors which drive Dharma Productions; we employ the right people and then trust them. We have the best people who are working with us and I trust them completely, which motivates them to deliver their best.

If I were to make an alternate parallel film, it should not be curse to exhibitors or distributors.

Film making is an art as well as commerce. Tell us how you balance the both, as you produce as well as direct films?
I believe if you want to be completely artistic then you should be on your own terms, with your own money. I feel if that if were to make a very alternate parallel film, then it should be a present to myself, not a curse to exhibitors or distributors. I feel one should create a balance in every film, if you are making an off-beat film, try to make it in a smaller budget and know what you are making. I call people to my office and tell them whether my film will cater to the masses or it will be limited to multiplexes only. When I make a film I know its limitations and advantages.

You are seen at parties, host shows, award functions and almost everywhere. How do you get time and manage all of this?
Actually nobody knows it, but I am actually a super-hero and thus manage it all!

What made you launch three newcomers in your next film Student Of The Year?
I challenged myself. It is very easy to make a new project with big stars and big budget, but the point is: what do you contribute personally? Now I can say that I am giving industry three new faces and I have not taken super-star children. I have launched Varun (Dhawan) son of David Dhawan, Alia (Bhatt) is the daughter of Mahesh Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra, who is not from the film industry at all. I have presented them as film stars as the script was designed in such a way. It is a kind of a happy holiday film: there is music, enjoyment, young comedy and it is made on a large scale. I am convinced that film will make everyone happy. Hopefully, it will release in August-September 2012.

More by Komal Nahta

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Komal Nahta, the Editor of Koimoi.com, is Bollywood’s most trusted trade analyst & film reviewer. You can follow him on Twitter and check out his Video Blog.