The famous filmmaker Karan Johar has once again spoken candidly about the ongoing nepotism debate and the frequent criticism he receives for promoting actors from film families. In a recent interview, he discussed how he has become a target of hate in the industry and on social media, often being labeled as the poster boy for Bollywood’s alleged favouritism.
Referring specifically to the backlash against Nadaaniyan, the film that introduced Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan, Karan shared that producing the movie drew widespread trolling. While people were quick to attack him for launching another “nepo kid”, he pointed out that his work with outsiders often goes ignored.
He cited his collaborations with director Neeraj Ghaywan, who has no family background in the industry, as an example. Karan Johar had backed Neeraj Ghaywan’s anthology Ajeeb Daastaans and is currently producing his next film Homebound, but these efforts have received little public attention or credit.
Karan Johar expressed frustration over the growing trend of negativity aimed at anything associated with star kids, saying that criticising Nadaaniyan had almost become a trend people used to boost their own content online. According to him, attacking the film and its cast became a convenient way to gain engagement on social media and he feels the time has come to move on from this kind of discourse.
He also opened up about the random and often baseless attacks he faces, even from people he has never met. Recalling instances where his name comes up unexpectedly during podcast interviews, he noted how strangers form opinions about him without any personal interaction. To him, these moments feel irrelevant, as they come from individuals who have no real connection to his life or work.
Addressing the long-standing belief that his production house, Dharma Productions, only supports star kids, Karan firmly rejected the claim. He urged people to look at the full list of talents he has worked with, which includes both insiders and outsiders. However, he made it clear that he will continue to collaborate with actors from film families if he believes in their talent, regardless of public perception.
To conclude, Karan reflected on being seen as a symbol of everything wrong with Bollywood. While he sarcastically thanked those who gave him this “elevation”, he questioned whether he truly deserves the title of the “face of Bollywood hate”. In his view, the criticism lacks perspective and ignores the full scope of his contributions to the film industry.
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