Karan Johar is one of Hindi Cinema’s most popular director and entrepreneurs. From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Student Of The Year, every film of his strikes a chord with the audience. The movies often depict the theme of human relationships, and conflict. During these conflicts, there are several characters who act as mediators to resolve them. Who are these characters? Well, our reader Anuj Radia has made quite an interesting compilation of them and mailed it to us.
So, let’s find out!
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
The classic, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, set the ball rolling for Karan Johar. Not only did it establish him as a fresh director, but the film was also a trendsetter, and gave love a new meaning!
What’s it about?: The story is about flirtatious Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) who is best friends with the tomboy, Anjali (Kajol). When the new-girl Tina (Rani Mukerji) arrives at the college, the friendship changes as Rahul falls in love with Tina, while Anjali falls for Rahul. Rahul and Tina get married, however she dies after giving birth to little Anjali (Sana Saeed). On Anjali’s eighth birthday, Tina’s last letters request little Anjali to reunite Rahul with his long-lost friend Anjali.
Relationship mediator: So can you guess who the mediating character is? Yes, it is indeed little Anjali (well, not so little now!). In the end, she is the one who stops Anjali’s wedding to Aman (Salman Khan) and then Rahul and Anjali reunite… this time as man and wife. As the ghost of Tina gives a thumbs up to her daughter, the film ends on a happy note… (Awwww!)
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G) (2001)
As K3G is the magnum opus of Karan Johar’s films, it is clear that the depiction of problems and conflicts would also be just as big.
What’s it about?: The blockbuster film revolved around rich businessman Yashvardhan Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan) and his special bond with his adopted son, Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan). From day one, Rahul followed every footstep of Yash, however, he falls in love with the happy-go-lucky Anjali (Kajol) and decides to marry her against his father’s will. He gets disowned and chucked out. Some years later, Yash’s younger son Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) pledges to reunite the father and son.
When Rohan travels to London, in order to find Rahul, he bumps into Anjali’s younger sister, Pooja aka Poo (Kareena Kapoor). That’s when Mission family-reunite begins.
Relationship mediator: The relationship mediators in K3G are of course, Rohan and Pooja. Together, they help each other out in order to reunite Yash with Rahul…. And in the end they iare successful!
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)
Johar’s next venture, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK), in my opinion was like a modern-day adaptation of Yash Chopra’s Silsila. This was because this film revolved around infidelity and extra-marital affairs. Thus, in comparison to K3G and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, KANK was more bold and controversial.
What’s it about?: The film narrates the story of two couples. Firstly, Dev (Shah Rukh Khan) and Rhea’s (Preity Zinta) marriage was falling. Ever since, Dev broke his leg, he became unable to carry on with his successful football career. The household was running on Rhea’s salary. Secondly, there were marital issues between school teacher Maya (Rani Mukerji) and Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan). One day, Dev and Maya meet during a strange circumstance. Afterwards, they fatefully bump into each other. That’s when the bond of love/affair develops.
Meanwhile, Rishi’s Casanova father, Sam (Amitabh Bachchan) and Dev’s mother Kamaljeet also notice cracks in the marriages. Despite several endeavours to fix the marriages by Kamal and Sam, the relationships falter. Ultimately, Sam dies, although Maya and Dev unite.
Relationship mediator: Although the couples did try to save the marriages… The main mediators however are Kamal and Sam, whose endeavours failed in the end… *sob* *sob*.
My Name Is Khan (2010)
As we know, 9/11 was a tragic event which not only shook the world, but also changed it forever. KJo’s movie, My Name Is Khan (MNIK) depicted how human relationships changed after the 9/11. In comparison to his prior works, the it was more serious, and included more emotional quotients. Although the film did not have the usual song and dance, it became a critical and commercial success.
What’s it about?: Rizwan Khan aka Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. After his mother’s demise, he moves to San Francisco and meets Mandira (Kajol), a single mother to son, Sam (Yuvan Makar). Rizwan’s brother, Zakir (Jimmy Shergill) initially objects to the wedding, however, Khan proceeds with it. All is well until 9/11 occurs and the lives are turned upside down. Sam, whose surname is now Khan, is killed by school kids mistaking him to be a Muslim. In anguish of losing her son, Mandira severs ties with Khan and tells him to tell the president that Sam was not the son of a terrorist. That’s when Khan embarks on an extraordinary journey.
Relationship mediator: As Sam’s death was caused by Rizwan (in Mandira’s opinion) the fact that Khan actually acted on what Mandira said, he became the relationship mediator, in order to return to his beloved Mandira.
Student Of The Year (SOTY) (2012)
After the emotional MNIK, Johar’s latest venture Student Of The Year, was the quintessential Johar-style Bollywood film. This time, he introduced three new stars: Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. Plus, with chartbuster songs composed by Vishal-Shekhar… The film was guaranteed to be a success!
What’s it about?: Rohan (Varun Dhawan), Shanaya (Alia Bhatt) and Abhimanyu (Sidharth Malhotra) are three friends at St.Theresa’s college, Dehradun. However, to become the student of the year, they must compete in a triathlon. As the pressure increases, the friendships turn sour. Years after, they are reunited by their coach Shah (Ronit Roy) in a hospital. That’s when it is revealed that the college dean, Yogendra Vashisht (Rishi Kapoor) was passing away. However, several broken relationships were to be amended.
Relationship mediator: In comparison to the rest of Johar’s movies, it is slightly difficult to determine the relationship mediator in SOTY, as the friends reconciliate themselves. I guess, as everyone is reunited by the situation of Yogendra Vashisht, and the fact that, they are informed by Coach Shah…. The relationship mediators could mainly be Coach Shah and the dean!
My Just Another Thought:
In many of KJo’s movies, there are specific characteristics which are portrayed repeatedly. For instance, in K3G there was the portrayal of an overweight character, Rohan, aka ‘ladoo’. This characteristic was also shown in KANK, during a scene where an overweight boy accidentally sat down on Shah Rukh Khan’s lap, after the four years leap. Furthermore, in SOTY one of the main characters ‘Sudo’ (essayed by Kayoze Irani) is overweight, and was often used for comic relief.
Also, Karan Johar often depicts elements/characteristics of homosexuality in his directorial ventures. For instance, in SOTY Rishi Kapoor essayed the role of a gay dean. This character was also for comic relief. However, in the ‘Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh’ segment of Bombay Talkies (2013), Mr. Johar depicted portrayed the story of homosexual guy, who falls in love with a closeted married man. This short-film was more serious, perhaps to reflect the current state of homosexuality in modern India. But why does Mr. Johar repeatedly include these tracks in his movies?
His next venture Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma is rumoured to release in June 2016. We highly anticipate the movie, and wish Karan Johar all the best for this project!
Wanna get famous? Want to share your analysis about a star or film? Koimoi.com invites you to write about your favourite films, stars or anything Bollywood! Check out more details here.
Advertisement.
Advertisement
